Tips for Adapting Your Practice to an ORS Psychology Structure

The “Outcome Rating Scale,” better known as the ORS, is an assessment tool that has been used for over two decades in various therapeutic settings. The ORS helps facilitate improved counselor-client relationships to identify the most effective strategies for each person.

It does this by addressing four elements in a client’s life — individual, interpersonal, social, and overall wellbeing. This makes it easier for the counselor to track the progress that’s been made session after session.

Are you planning on implementing ORS psychology into your practice’s structure? Our team at MyOutcomes is dedicated to bettering the talk therapy experience for all. Below we provide tips on how to adapt your practice to an ORS psychology structure.

1. Explain the Rationale for Choosing an ORS Psychology Structure

   If you are working to implement an ORS psychology structure into your practice, you’ll want to explain your rationale behind doing so. After all, the psychotherapists/counselors and clients within your practice may feel comfortable with the methods they are currently using. So why would they want to switch?
   You can explain your rationale by following a few simple steps:

   1. Enhancing outcomes: You’ve likely seen the ORS psychology structure in action if you are committed to bringing it into your practice. Show your colleagues and clients what the results have been in other settings. Why does ORS work so well? What are the benefits of it for me and my clients? These are the questions you will want to answer during the process.
   2. Demonstrating accountability: If you are asking your colleagues to implement an ORS psychology structure, you will need to as well. And if there is an issue that arises, either with a colleague or client, you must take responsibility to work to fix it.
   3. Developing practice and services: Work with your colleagues to develop a plan of action to put ORS into practice. You can offer it as part of your ORS psychology structure or as an optional method that may be better targeted toward specific patients.

2. Have an Explanation as to Why You Are Making this Change

   You will not only need to explain yourself to the therapists/counselors within your office but also to your clients. It’s best to have your reasons lined up for changing to an ORS structure. You can decide to keep it brief or provide a more extended explanation that clearly conveys the benefit to the client. They will be more interested in “how this may help me” than anything else you might have to say.

3. Share Your Experience with ORS

   As long as you clearly explain the benefit of ORS psychology to the therapists/counselors and what you are asking them to do, there are numerous ways you can introduce it into your agency. Most therapists may be willing to try the ORS structure, but you may run into a few who may be undecided or feel it’s not for them.

So what can you do in this instance? Share your own experience. You can describe to them how you have introduced ORS psychology to your clients and the results you’ve seen. Better yet, back it up with statistics and data if you can. The more you can share, the better.

Need Help With the Implementation Process?

The Outcome Rating Scale has been proven to be effective for all ages. At MyOutcomes, our mission is to support the needs of healthcare providers with flawless integration, tracking, and reporting of ORS results. If you are interested in implementing the ORS into your therapy practice, do not hesitate to contact us.