Hi Ron: You are right in your assessment that OTs do not always speak the same language as the other professions, especially physicians who make up our referral source.
I generally say that "...as an occupational therapist, I am not only concerned about and address the client's underlying disruption/ change in their physical performance skills such as muscle weakness or limitations in their JROM, but also address cognitive/ psychosocial issues and the environmental needs in order to facilitate their expected occupational roles. Fulfilling an occupational role (which loosely translates to those essential functions that occupy the human mind and body in meaningful tasks central to the client's living situations) begins with optimally being able to care for them selves at the least, and expands to culturally defined roles such as a hobbyist, a parent, a husband, an engineer, an organizational member, etc... Also, as an occupational therapist, I may also recommend adaptive/ supportive aides or, suggest adaptations/ modifications the client's environment to compensate for an irreversible loss in pre-morbidly defined normal functioning or to facilitate ongoing safety with their functions ". Hopefully, this will lead to further discussions on "occupational roles" and how OT got its name, and what occupation means to OTs. Hopefully, you can get your audience to say that's how you differ from PT versus you actually having to describe that to them. (On a related note, there is an excellent article in the Jan/ Feb 2007- AJOT, "The Issue Is- Revision of the OT Practice Framework". I felt the article was excellent and calls for much required changes to the Framework. The proposed changes will help us to articulate and market our services better). Joseph K. Wells, OTD, OTR/L -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ron Carson Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 9:20 PM To: Joan Riches Subject: Re: [OTlist] What is OT's Speciality???? Hello Joan: Actually, I was referring to the NON-lymphedema portion of my practice. One of the "things" that I am struggling with is that the way we define our selves must fit within the framework in which others define us. For example, saying that OT is about occupation is GREAT for us, but the reality is that occupation means NOTHING to doctors! So, telling them to refer patients to me because of occupation deficits will get me exactly zero referrals. I also struggle with how OT defines "problems". For example, saying that a stroke patient's "problem" is that he can't put on his shirt is unlike how any other profession will see the patient's problem. And, it's my experience that patient's themselves often don't see their problems the same way OT see them. So, in order for our profession to make "sense", we must FIT in the model that we work. And this is where I am struggling. How does OT FIT!! Ron ----- Original Message ----- From: Joan Riches <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subj: [OTlist] What is OT's Speciality???? JR> OK Ron JR> I presume you are talking about the lymphedema program. JR> In your training course was there any mention of the effects of it on JR> occupational performance? JR> If not what do you see as those effects? Why do you want to do this? have JR> you run into these patients previously? JR> In my experience both patients and doctors focus on conditions/symptoms. JR> A good question in assessment is "Why is this a problem?" The indignant JR> answer will tend to be "Well I can't..................." With the JR> implication that I am wanting in intelligence not to mention common sense. JR> So there are lots of things that one may have difficulty doing because of JR> swelling, pain, and the other symptoms but the particular things that are JR> most bothersome will be the things that will motivate a patient to get with JR> the program. If what is meaningful occupation is defined by the patient JR> then the answer to "What is it that you cannot do that you want/need to do JR> or that someone else wants/needs you to do? (COPM)" defines the deficit in JR> occupational performance. JR> With all our debates about what is occupational therapy? I think we have JR> been missing a critical point which I was struck by in Terianne Jones JR> recently posted paper and I quote "we use occupation as the method to JR> achieve positive outcomes". I take this to mean that the occupation we use JR> as a treatment modality may not be the same as the occupation in which we JR> (patient and therapist) wish to see an improvement in occupational JR> performance. (In Pat's case we may also be talking here about employer but JR> that is another debate) Thus leisure as an occupation (balloon volleyball?) JR> may be meaningful in itself as a treatment modality while having beneficial JR> effects on the performance of other occupations which are targeted because JR> of deficits in occupational performance. JR> As has been previously stated by other people in other ways it all depends JR> on the purpose and the patient's perspective of meaning. JR> Very few doctors ask their patients what they cannot do. Patients have JR> learned to complain to doctors about the things doctors are most interested JR> in and feel they can help with. We are interested in the things that our JR> patients want and need to do. There are many ways to help with that. You JR> have found one of them. Sell it as valid occupational therapy, using our JR> vocabulary. Start with this particular problem, with any luck they will JR> generalise and wonder what else you may be able to offer. JR> As the saying goes, "If I had more time I could make this shorter" but I JR> don't. JR> Blessings, Joan JR> -----Original Message----- JR> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] JR> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf JR> Of Ron Carson JR> Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 1:07 PM JR> To: [email protected] JR> Subject: [OTlist] What is OT's Speciality???? JR> OK, even though I've been an OT for 10 years, I'm drawing a blank. JR> Next week, I meet with doctors to begin marketing a new program for my JR> company. I also want to use the opportunity to tell them about OT. But JR> I'm really unsure what to say. My company provides adult in-home rehab JR> services (OT only). I see patients with a variety of health problems. JR> I generally end up addressing mobility issues because most of my JR> patients identify these as their primary concern. But what do I tell a JR> doctor? It seems to me that an MD needs to make a connection between JR> the patient (i.e. diagnosis) and the therapist (i.e. treatment). But I JR> just can't seem to come up with a way to sell OT in this particular JR> situation. JR> Thanks, JR> Ron JR> -- JR> Options? JR> www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com JR> Archive? JR> www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] JR> **************************************************************************** JR> ********** JR> Enroll in Boston University's post-professional Master of Science for OTs JR> Online. Gain the skills and credentials to propel your career. JR> www.otdegree.com/otn JR> **************************************************************************** JR> ********** -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] **************************************************************************** ********** Enroll in Boston University's post-professional Master of Science for OTs Online. Gain the skills and credentials to propel your career. www.otdegree.com/otn **************************************************************************** ********** -- Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.15.18/586 - Release Date: 12/13/2006 6:13 PM -- Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.15.18/586 - Release Date: 12/13/2006 6:13 PM -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] ************************************************************************************** Enroll in Boston University's post-professional Master of Science for OTs Online. Gain the skills and credentials to propel your career. www.otdegree.com/otn **************************************************************************************
