Clinical trials and quality control: checkpoints in the provision of assistive technology

Clinical trials and quality control measures are characterized by evaluation of assistive technology by users, and feedback to providers for the purpose of improving devices or service delivery. These processes recognize that consumer satisfaction is an important measure of device and service delivery effectiveness. In this article, types of clinical trials are reviewed, and both prospective and retrospective methods of quality control are presented. The authors take the position that rehabilitation engineering centers providing customized devices and adapted technology should implement quality control measures in order to improve services to their clients.