Mobile Outpatient Occupational Therapy: What It Is and Why It’s the Way Forward for Our Field
“Mobile outpatient occupational therapy!” What a mouthful, right? What exactly does that mean and why do you need to know about it?
First, you need a basic understanding of occupational therapy which I know is a tall order. To understand the term “occupational”, think of it as the activities that occupy your time. Occupational therapists ensure that you can participate in your chosen “occupations” despite injury, illness, or disability. At different stages of life, you participate in different types of activities. At our roots, we are holistic practitioners who look at the whole person (physical, cognitive, psychological, and spiritual)! Then we look at your lifestyle and your goals to create treatment plans that bridge the gap from where you are to where you want to be. We use both rehabilitative and compensatory approaches to find the best solutions for an individual to thrive in their environment. Since no two people are alike, no two treatment plans are alike! At least…that is how it should be!
If you didn’t know already, the scope of occupational therapy is HUGE! We are generalists who are solutions-oriented and can assist with most, if not all, of your rehabilitation needs. However, people don’t know how to comprehend that because everyone else is extremely specialized. Due to misunderstanding and lack of advocacy, OTs have become pigeonholed, being associated with “giving everyone a reacher,” “making sure you don’t walk around naked,” or “doing arm exercises.” I won’t even say that I haven’t made those references before! Then add in the declining reimbursement rates and our very broken healthcare system. It’s an injustice to our field and to our clientele.
So then “mobile outpatient”? What does that mean? It means that we are providing services that are reimbursed through Medicare Part B as “outpatient” services (like you would receive in a clinic) but they are provided in a client’s home environment. For OTs, the patient’s home just makes sense as the treatment location. We can see things firsthand and in context, making recommendations and practicing functional tasks with the patient, ensuring better carryover and better outcomes!
Why is it the way forward? Our healthcare system is broken and our therapists are burnt out. The only time it kind of works is when someone is acutely ill and in the hospital. Any other time, you’re on your own, you’re met with so many roadblocks, and most people just give up looking for help. What if you could have a therapist who looked at your whole person? What if you had one-to-one care and the same therapist seeing you week-to-week? What if you had a therapist who could spend the time with you to really figure out your problems and ways to fix them? What if you had someone you could easily see the same therapist after an exacerbation or a new illness? What if you had someone on your side, keeping you independent, healthy, and thriving even with the ups and downs that come with aging? A lot of these things are nearly impossible in the system we have today. OTs are limited in the services they can provide and the patients are the ones missing out.
As the baby boomer generation ages, they are looking for quality healthcare. They are looking for prevention. They are looking for effective treatments. They are looking for amazing customer service. Needless to say, they’re not getting it. Private practice is the way forward for quality OT services.
If you or anyone you know is losing their independence, is worried about needing to move, is afraid of falling or has fallen recently, is worried about needing a higher level of care, or is suffering from acute or chronic illness/disability, feel free to reach out and see if OT services are appropriate! We at Deluxe Therapy Solutions are passionate about quality care and look forward to walking alongside you in this journey called life.