Investigation the effects of FOCUS-PDCA method on performance of occupational therapy department in Shiraz (Iran) rehabilitation school

The rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy is regarded to as one the most important topics in the field of occupational therapy. During this long-term process, parents may face with many problems such as remaining on the long waiting lists, difficulty in handling and transporting the effected child, and financial problems that, in turn, can reduce the their ability to follow treatment programs and affect their confidence in the efficacy of those programs. These problems may also delay the achievement of therapeutic goals. In this study, researchers decided to implement a method of total quality management called FOCUS- PDCA to evaluate its effect on tackling the aforementioned problems during treatment programs held in affiliated occupational therapy clinic of Shiraz School of Rehabilitation Sciences.

In a quasi-experimental interventional study, 15 cerebral palsied children and their parents were first divided into two experimental and control groups and then included in a 12-session program. Control group received traditional occupational therapy services. In addition to routine clinical services, parent education was also offered in experimental group through forming promoting teams. Before and after implementing the FOCUS- PDCA, parental satisfaction was assessed via a tailor-made questionnaire. To assess children’s motor function before and after intervention, Peabody Scale was used in both groups.

Data analysis indicated the significant effect of FOCUS-PDCA on motor functions of CP children (P < 0.05) and parental satisfaction (P < 0.001).

The current study showed that the FOCUS-PDCA approach improved the motor function of CP children and parental satisfaction in occupational therapy clinics. It is suggested that researchers assess the effects of this strategy for other indexes as well as in other clinical fields of rehabilitation.