A Collaborative Model of Service Delivery for Children With Movement Disorders: A Framework for Evidence-Based Decision Making

Models of physical therapist service delivery provide a framework for integration of knowledge, research, and assumptions in a clinically relevant context that facilitates evidence-based decision making. In this perspective, a collaborative model of service delivery for children with movement disorders is presented. The focus is on services that address child and family priorities and preferences in settings where children live, learn, and play. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is applied to identify relationships among the components of functioning, environmental, and personal factors that are important for the plan of care and achievement of outcomes. An assumption of the model is that physical therapists use multiple types of evidence to guide decision making. Application of the model and how child and family priorities change over time are illustrated through a longitudinal case report of a child with cerebral palsy.