Welcome to The Flinn Tools website, Information for the Practitioner

• Obtain critical information without being present
• Provide opportunities for feedback from family members/significant others
• Reinforce the value of client input
• Foster collaboration by addressing meaningful functions
• Utilize motor learning principles through visual images of static postures
• Create customized programs for each client with puposeful, goal directed activities
• Clarify the expectations of the treatment program
• Empower the client to participate and potentially reduce cancellation/no show rates
• Guide treatment programs which can be especially beneficial to new or part time staff
• Provide objective evidence for reasonable discharge dates and/or program extensions based on functional deficits 
• Examine trends in performance deficits
• Provide measurable functional outcomes for payers

• Contributing to the evaluation process based on input from visuals
• Being more motivated because they are selecting the functions
• Responding better to treatment because these are tasks that are important to them
• Appreciating a program that focuses on functional skills as well as improving physical, mental, and cognitive challenges

1. How do I get started using the FPST?
First, determine which format will best meet the needs of the individual clinic. For example, smaller clinics may select the manual while larger clinics may prefer the electronic version. For the avergae cost of a dynamometer, your clinic can add a valuable resource that addresses the specific functional deficits identified by each client.

After purchasing the manual, health care professionals are allowed to Xerox the rating forms for use in their own clinic. Replication of the copyrighted manual or rating forms in any other format is not permitted and must be approved in writing by Functional Visions, Inc. at fvi@ameritech.net.

In obtaining the electronic version, the clinic will receive a license and one password to access the site. After logging into the FPST, a therapist's name and unique client identification (e.g. name, number, section completed) is entered. Once the "second submit button" is activated, additional selections cannot be made and access to the file is not possible. Upon completion, the results will be sent immediately to the licensee's email as the client's Personal Goal Profile. The client's ratings are not available to a third party as the data are subject to HIPPA rules and regulations.


2. Who can administer the FPST?
In rare situations, a client with good computer skills can set themselves up once provided the sign-on information from their therapist. Preferably, a non-health care staff member from the clinic (e.g. administrative assistants, aides, technicians, students) should set up the client, check that the client can complete the screen independently, and answer questions from the client as needed. It is best if the evaluating health care professional does not administer the FPST as the client frequently goes beyond the screening process of selecting priority items and instead, begins the evaluation process by describing important details about performing the activity. In addition, this interaction extends the screening and evaluation time.


3. How does the FPST differ from other standardized outcome measures?
While the scores of the FPST are reliable and valid for specific orthopedic groups and functional outcomes, major differences do exist. The functions that are identified from the FPST are always important to the client. Frequently, standardized tools do not represent activities that are important or useful to the client and his/her priorities may not be included as the focus of the survey.

To ensure the most common aspects of daily life are represented, a comprehensive menu of over 300 life skills is available. With only a 20-30 minute administration time for the FPST, which is ideally managed by a non-health care professional, the quality of the screening results extend beyond activities of daily living to other areas of function such as instrumental activities of daily living, sleep, social participation, education, leisure, and work.

The FPST uses photographs instead of written words which aids in maintaining attention and providing cues to the client about his/her actual skills. Clients frequently use imaginary kinesthetic movements while viewing problematic photographs. This response suggests more accurate reporting from the client and becomes useful as a precursor for improving performance.


4. How can I use the information from the FPST?
As mentioned before, the Personal Goal Profile (PGP) from the FPST can be used in the evaluation, be instrumental in selecting activities for treatment, and deliver quantifiable functional gains on an outcome measure.

During the evaluation, results from the FPST require more in-depth analysis. What are the top priorities? Why are these items difficult? What are possible trends in physical, mental, and cognitive functions that can explain these limitations (e.g. poor posture, paresthesias, wrist instability, reduced grip strength, stress-provoking, poor organizational skills, forgetfulness, inability to multitask)? What would it look like to regain function performance?

To address some of these questions, rating scales from standardized assessments are recommended. For example, the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) has the client rank the top 5 functional limitations from a previously generated list of important tasks that are problematic. Then, each of the 5 items is ranked on a scale of 1-10 for importance and satisfaction and an average assessment score for each category is obtained. Additional information about the COPM can be obtained from http://www.caot.ca/copm/.

Applications for using the FPST items in treatment are numerous. Clients can mentally rehearse the functions represented in the FPST photographs that were selected as priority concerns. Performance of important but difficult activities can be practiced in the clinic. If actual equipment is not available, clients can bring their own supplies. However, the practice of using meaningful activities in treatment naturally expands the purchase and future availability of equipment for the clinic.

Finally, the use of standardized assessments provides measurable progress and final outcome scores. Again, the COPM is a useful standardized assessment and outcome measure. Change scores are calculated from the assessment to each reassessment. A final change score of 2 or more points represents a clinically important change for the client. Once the challenges from the original list of FPST priorities are resolved, the selection of new priorities from the remaining list of FPST items can be done.