The RESNA and ATIA Research Committees are collaborating to bring together practitioners, industry leaders, and researchers for a series of panels on "ATIA AT Outcomes Day," scheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2015. The day is part of the ATIA conference, which is January 27 - January 31 in Orlando, FL.  RESNA board member Roger Smith, PhD is co-chair, along with his ATIA counterpart, Ben Satterfield, Ed.D.  

 

Recent developments in the assistive technology industry bring into sharper focus the need for improved research data as evidence to inform policy decisions and to document outcomes associated with AT products and services. As an industry, professionals involved in assistive technology have always believed they are making a difference, but have often lacked the data to document what they see in practice. “Evidence Based Practice” (EBP) has become an accepted vehicle to assure best practice, but without systematic supports and methodologies to collect data, EBP is elusive.

 

The larger medical community is changing the way it manages and uses data. The emerging healthcare environment is forcing insurance companies and Medicaid/Medicare to change policies in many areas, some of which directly affect the AT industry. Some feel that these decisions are being made without the benefit of access to data about users of AT. 

 

The Research Committees of RESNA and ATIA have been exploring how to leverage these recent issues to foster industry-wide discussion that could lead to a consensus about developing sources for data on AT which could serve to strengthen member companies and the industry as a whole. A series of panel discussions will be held at ATIA concerning AT Outcomes. These panels will consist of practitioners, industry leaders, and researchers. At each session , the RESNA and ATIA research committee members will facilitate a discussion of how the perspectives and practices of these companies might represent opportunities to partner and collaborate with practitioners and researchers to establish:

There will be three sessions at part of this AT Outcomes Day:

 

Moderators: Ben Satterfield & Roger O. Smith

Panelists: Ruth Ziolokowski, Martin McKay, Chris Bugaj, Beth Poss, Mystie Rail

 

Moderators: Lori Geist & Ben Satterfield & Roger O. Smith

Panelists:  Vicki Clarke, Carolyn Phillips, Andrew Gomory, Russell Cross, Bob Cunningham, Amy Goldman, Susan Fager 

 

Moderators: Ben Satterfield & Roger O. Smith

Panelists: Carolyn Phillips (GA Tools for Life at GA Tech), Amy Goldman (ASHA), Sandy Hanebrink / Robin Jones (AOTA), Roger O. Smith

 

The day will close with an open gathering where participants may informally network about possible implementations of ideas that emerge from the day’s conversations. For more information on the agenda and the panelists, click here for the ATIA session directory. 

 

In order to participate, participants must register for the ATIA Conference. RESNA members receive a discount on ATIA conference fees.