Hello EVERYONE!! The list has been D E A D!!!!, so let's see if we can't stir up some conversation. Unfortunately for our international members, much of this discussion involves the US health care system. <sorry>
For the past three years, I've been in private practice providing ADULT in-home rehab services. I accept Medicare. I have always had a difficult time marketing adult OT services to physicians. In fact, in three years the only direct MD referrals that I've received have been for lymphedema treatment, which is NOT related to being an OT. I have not done a lot of marketing because (1) I can't figure out how to best market my services and (2) the marketing I've done has not been successful (other than for lymphedema treatment). Here's the first question: 1. How is it possible to successfully market ADULT OT services to primary care physicians? ((Please bear in mind that I do NOT specialize in hand/UE treatment. I certainly can treat an UE injury/illness, but that is not how I want to market myself.)) I believe that the profession of PT and outpatient facilities. I am confident that in-home services are a "one up" over traditional outpatient but I can not find a way to market either against or complimentary to the PT profession. FYI, the reason I feel that PT is my competitor is because of nature of providing general rehab. Here's the second question: 2. How can I market OT services as "better" or complimentary to PT services? Now, the caveat to all of this is that when doctor's do not speak the same "language" as OT. So, if I go to a doctor's office and talk with them about occupational deficits, they generally won't understand what I'm saying or if they do, they won't see "functional" deficits as the the problem. Instead, MD's work with medical diagnoses and these are what they see as the problem the needs fixing. Now, the one "functional" area that a doctor may recognize is difficulty walking or falling. Functional mobility is within OT's scope of practice but I am again back to the PT thing. So, here's the third question: 3. How do I build a bridge between a medical doctor and a general rehab occupational therapist? Thanks for reading this long message. And, I REALLY appreciate YOUR help and input!!!! Thanks, Ron -- Ron Carson MHS, OTR/L Hope Therapy Services, LLC www.HopeTherapyServices.com <disclaimer> I hurriedly typed this message [but with a lot of thought] so please forgive typos, grammo's, etc.... -- 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 **************************************************************************************
