ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Evaluation & the Health Professions

Evaluation in the health professions is like when a teacher gives you a test to see how much you learned in class. But instead of school, it's for people who want to help others be healthy.

Let's say you go to the doctor because you're not feeling well. The doctor will ask you questions, examine you and then give you a treatment plan. But how do they know if that plan is working and if you're getting better? That's where evaluation comes in.

Evaluation helps the doctor or healthcare professional to see how well their treatment plan is working. They might check your temperature, ask how you're feeling, or even schedule some follow-up appointments to see if you're still improving. Just like a teacher will grade your homework and tests to see how much you're learning, a healthcare professional will evaluate your progress to see if the treatment plan is working.

This evaluation can also help healthcare professionals figure out if they need to make any changes to your treatment plan. For example, if you have a reaction to a medication, they might need to prescribe a different one. By regularly checking how you're doing, healthcare professionals can ensure you're getting the best care possible.

In short, evaluation in the health professions is like a check-up to see how well the treatment plan is working and to make any necessary changes to help you get better.