Affiliations: [a] Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Miami Comprehensive Pain and Rehabilitation Center, South Shore Hospital and Medical Center, 600 Alton Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139, USA | [b] Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, University of Miami Comprehensive Pain and Rehabilitation Center, South Shore Hospital and Medical Center, 600 Alton Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139, USA | [c] Dean Graduate School, University of Miami, Department of Ergonomics, University of Miami Comprehensive Pain and Rehabilitation Center, South Shore Hospital and Medical Center, 600 Alton Road, Miami Beach, 600 Alton Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139, USA
Abstract: Researchers and practitioners, as well as vendors, have placed much emphasis on what constitutes a functional capacity testing battery. Statistical, procedural, behavioral, technological, as well as legal issues surrounding this type of human performance evaluation are also continuously being addressed in the literature. In addition, several methods, batteries, equipment, and protocols have been developed for the purpose of evaluating what an injured person can or cannot do. It is a fact that ‘testing’ of individuals is but one component of an intricate process consisting of: identification of an evaluee, researching a market, referring the evaluee to a facility, evaluating a set of abilities, making inference about the evaluee's performance, reporting the findings, following up on the case, and possibly a legal involvement due to litigation. These components comprise the process of functional capacity testing. The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the various components of the process of quantitative testing of functional capacity. It is believed that each component of the FCA process is as important as the actual testing.
Keywords: Functional capacity assessment, Process assessment, Testing
