Well David, your response is NOT going to fly!!! What are you talking about!!!!
Ron ===============<Original Message>=============== On 3/8/2005, Lehman, David <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: LD> Hello my friendly OTs. Did you think I could sit through this long LD> ranting session and be quiet? :) LD> I actually interpret this whole discussion as being a problem with two LD> things: LD> 1. Ignorance LD> 2. A disconnect between the academic world and the clinical world LD> PT has the same problem! LD> David A. Lehman, PhD, PT LD> Associate Professor LD> Tennessee State University LD> Department of Physical Therapy LD> 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd. LD> Nashville, TN 37209 LD> 615-963-5946 LD> [EMAIL PROTECTED] LD> -----Original Message----- LD> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On LD> Behalf Of Jimmie Arceneaux LD> Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 8:05 AM LD> To: [email protected] LD> Subject: RE: [OTlist] Long Rant about OT LD> Hey Ron, LD> An equally long and possibly offensive rant: LD> I hate the term function! What exactly does that denote? You see a LD> multitude of people now harping on such terms as "functional LD> ambulation", "functional memory", functional mobility". functional range LD> of motion, etc. It is silly. If there is such a thing as functional LD> ambulation, would someone care to take a stab at defining non-functional LD> ambulation? LD> I would not say that PTs are better trained at function because I don't LD> believe anyone can define function in a way that it would make any LD> sense. It is impossible to be an expert in something that doesn't truly LD> exist. I would also disagree that PTs are trained in more "body areas" LD> than OTs. The multitude of PTs I se practicing (Don't get me wrong. LD> I'm not putting down PTs. There are many PTs out there that I respect LD> and feel do a fine job) perform the same tired exercises with each LD> patient then walk with them. I must add that I see a lot of OTs doing LD> similar "shake and bake" treatments. In terms of modalities, there are LD> many PTs that are performing treatments in a way that does not reflect LD> the proper usage of the modality. LD> I will agree that PT does hold all the cards in the rehab community. LD> They are what people immediately think of when one mentions LD> rehabilitation services. Is that reflective of their marketing strategy LD> or is it due, at least in our part, to lingering confusion over the term LD> occupation. The way OTs define occupation and the way the community at LD> large (including physicians, nurses, the average Joe on the street) LD> defines the same term are two completely different things. In fact when LD> the Medicare outpatient OT regulations were first written, they just LD> copied the PT regulations and added OT. LD> It doesn't help that there are frequently OTs practicing in the field LD> that encourage the "myths" (i.e. OTs do the UEs, OTs deal with fine LD> motor, OT is about function) of OT. If you are a nurse working in a LD> hospital SNF, and your experience with OT on a daily basis is that the LD> OT shows up to do UE exercises and helps you get the patients dressed LD> and bathed every morning, what do you think that persons impression of LD> what OT does will be. LD> It will be most difficult to put a public spin on OT that will produce a LD> definition that will be so digestible to lend itself to no further LD> confusion. I would assume that we will continue to need to explain who LD> we are and what we do, however I believe that it would be a really good LD> thing if we could first get a true consensus from OTs who we are and LD> what we do. It does only limited good to develop a practice framework LD> if the common practicing OT continues to practice in a way that lends LD> itself to the above mentioned myths. LD> Jimmie LD> -----Original Message----- LD> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] LD> Behalf Of Ron Carson LD> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 10:20 PM LD> To: [email protected] LD> Subject: [OTlist] Long Rant about OT LD> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LD> What follow is a copy of my response to a message that was posted on LD> an AOTA listserve about a marketing company claiming that PT's are LD> experts in human function. LD> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LD> WARNING! LONG RANT WITH LOTS OF PERSONAL OPINION FOLLOWS - PROCEED WITH LD> CAUTION.... LD> In my opinion, PT's are much more expert at human function (what ever LD> that means) than OT's ever will be. Generally, PT's are better trained LD> in human function than OT's because PT's receive training in more LD> modalities and body areas than the vast majority of OTs. Some will say LD> that PT's aren't trained in phsych-soc, but from my teaching LD> experience LD> that is no longer true! I think it's time for OT to realize our place LD> compared to PT! LD> PT' have clout, they have recognition and most importantly, they have LD> ACCESS!!!! They have clout because they have tons of research supporting LD> what they do! They have recognition because they have a bunch of PT's LD> running around tooting their horns! They have access to home health LD> (often times when OT doesn't), they have access to CORF's (where OT is LD> NOT a required therapy) and I believe that they will soon have direct LD> access to Medicare patients! In the field of medicine/rehab, PT's rule LD> the roost! LD> How did it get this way? What were AOTA, State organizations and LD> individual practitioners doing during this past 100 years to let this LD> happen? I don't know! LD> Does it need to be this way? Nope! LD> What can we do? I say that we focus on our expertise! What is that, you LD> say? Our expertise is occupation! If you don't believe me, look at what LD> AOTA say's in the new Framework! quote>> Occupational therapists' and occupational therapy assistants' quote>> expertise lies in their knowledge of occupation and how engaging quote>> in occupations can be used to affect human performance and the quote>> effects of disease and disability. LD> But, almost no where else in the world, does anyone recognize the term LD> occupation as it relates to the significance of doing daily LD> human LD> activity. We are experts in something that on the surface, doesn't seem LD> to mean a whole lot to a whole lot of people. So, what do we do! LD> I often feel that OT is stuck between a rock and hard place.... in my LD> mind there is NO perfect solution. However, it does seem that right now, LD> the OT profession is spinning lots of mud and getting nowhere fast! LD> I am staunch believer in OT, but I am also a realist! I have a company LD> called HOPE Therapy. HOPE = Health, Occupational Performance and LD> Empowerment. I have the words "OT" and an OT logo emblazoned on my shirt LD> sleeve and on my chest. Everyday, I go to see clients, I face the same LD> battle. "So you're a PT". I use the COPM as frequently as I can; I talk LD> about occupation and I try to practice occupation. I don't have LD> equipment, I don't use cones, putty, thera-band, etc. But everyday, it's LD> the same battle - trying to practice occupation in a non-occupational LD> world! I just doesn't seem to fit!!! At least it doesn't seem to fit in LD> the medical, third-party payment system! LD> Well, this is the end to a long rant from the middle of nowhere! LD> Ron C. LD> ===============<Original Message>=============== LD> On 3/7/2005, admin-sis Listmanager LD> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: asL>> "[PT's] know they are the experts in human function". LD> -- LD> Unsubscribe? LD> [EMAIL PROTECTED] LD> Change options? LD> www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com LD> Archive? LD> www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] LD> Help? LD> [EMAIL PROTECTED] LD> *** NOTICE--The attached communication contains privileged and LD> confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, DO NOT LD> read, copy, or disseminate this communication. Non-intended recipients LD> are hereby placed on notice that any unauthorized disclosure, LD> duplication, distribution, or taking of any action in reliance on the LD> contents of these materials is expressly prohibited. If you have LD> received this communication in error, please delete this information in LD> its entirety and contact the Amedisys Privacy Hotline at 1-866-518-6684. LD> Also, please immediately notify the sender via e-mail that you have LD> received this communication in error. *** -- Unsubscribe? [EMAIL PROTECTED] Change options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] Help? 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