This is a follow-up to the below situation: After again calling the patient's wife, she said that she would call the case worker to let them know that the patient desired to have me (i.e. OT) as their therapist. Keep in mind that as far as the patient knows and despite my efforts, the patient still thinks that I'm a PT.
A couple hours later, the case worker calls to say that she has talked with the doctor's office and everything is OK for me to see the patient. Keep in mind, that ALL this started because the doctor ordered PT, and then the family requested my services. The problem was not that the doctor requested PT or that I was an OT, the problem is that the case worker did not recognize the role of OT to treat this patient. Anyway, things have worked out well. I have just faxed the plan of treatment to the physician. Ron ----- Original Message ----- From: Ron Carson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subj: [OTlist] And Yet Another Stupid OT Situation RC> A former patient, just discharged from the hospital today, requested to RC> have me as his therapist. So, the hospital d/c planner who has a RC> prescription for PT, calls me. Of course, I say that I'm an OT and she RC> asks if I have PT at my company. I tell her "no" but that I can handle RC> Mr. Wilkin's needs. She says in a sort of disbelieving voice: "You can RC> do PT". After setting her straight, I tell her to call the Doctor and RC> get the script changed to OT. She goes on to say that Medicare won't pay RC> for OT to be 'stand alone' in home health. So, I explain that my company RC> is not a HH agency and that I'm an outpatient provider doing in-home RC> therapy. She replied: "I've never heard of that". Finally, she said that RC> she'd call the doctor. RC> Well, a few minutes later the d/c planner calls back saying that she had RC> talked with the patient and that they agreed that a PT would be sent to RC> the house and that if they thought it appropriate, OT would be ordered. RC> Well, by now, I'm about ready to come unglued!! I said to her something RC> like, "how does this relate to me and what about what the patient RC> wants". The planner says that this is what the patient agreed to and RC> added that the patient was under the assumption that I was a PT. I told RC> the planner that this is one of the banes of being an OT and that I face RC> the same battle of being called a PT day after day. RC> That was about it. I called the patient explained the whole situation RC> and that no one could tell them what type of therapy or from who to get RC> it from. The patient's wife said she would call the doctor and get it RC> straightened out!! RC> I'm tell you what, other peoples' concept of our profession stink!!! At RC> least, in my experience. RC> Ron RC> P.S. For those of you inclined to point out my typos (and you know who RC> you are) , please forgive any errors. <LOL> -- Unsubscribe? [EMAIL PROTECTED] Change options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] Help? [EMAIL PROTECTED]
