What is acute care occupational therapy?
Acute care occupational therapy helps our patients re-establish a daily routine and transition safely out of the hospital.
In this guide, you’ll learn the details about this critical branch of occupational therapy practice.
You may be reading this article because you or a loved one is a patient in an acute care setting—and you want to understand the role of your occupational therapist.
Or maybe you are reading this as an aspiring acute care OT yourself.
Either way, we’ll answer your basic questions about OT in the hospital.
Who are the acute care OTs near me?
The work of an acute care OT can vary dramatically from hospital to hospital. For example, OTs make work in speciality settings within their hospital such as:
The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
The pediatric intensive care unit (PICU)
The intensive care unit (ICU)
A burn unit
Obstetrics
Behavioral health
The best way to get specific answers about OT is to talk to an OT near you! See the OT Directory below to find acute care OTs near you. If you are currently utilizing hospital services, that would mean talking to the OT and care team.
Angel Kinney
COTA/L
Educator
Ozark, Arkansas
PJ Bhakta
OTR, OTD, PCES, CSOT
Consultant
TheraSolutions Consulting, LLC
Cedar Park, Texas
ADHD, Chronic Pain, Coaching, Depression & Mood Disorders, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Ergonomics, Fitness, Hand Therapy, Health Data, Health Policy, Health Promotion, Industrial Rehabilitation, Insomnia & Sleep, Knowledge Translation, Lifestyle Medicine, Leadership, Maternal Health, Neurodiversity, NICU, Orthopedics & Musculoskeletal, Pelvic Health, Prevention, Population Health, Sexuality/Intimacy, Social Determinants of Health, Sports Medicine & Performance, Trauma & PTSD
Madison Spillman
COTA/L, BS
Winner, South Dakota
Megan Veenstra
OTR/L
The Golden OT LLC
Blaine, Minnesota
Aging in Place, Assistive Technology, Chronic Conditions, Chronic Pain, Cognitive Rehabilitation, Dementia, Ergonomics, Fitness, Feeding and Eating, Health Promotion, Home Modifications, Pelvic Health, Seating and Mobility, Stroke, TBI
Melissa S Kimmerling
EdD, MOT, OTR/L
Administrator
Augustana University
Papillion, Nebraska
Aging in Place, Autism, Ergonomics, Home Modifications, Leadership, Neurorehabilitation, Parkinson’s, Seating and Mobility, Stroke, Hippotherapy
Jessica shrum
COTA-L
HEALTHPRO
Herrin, Illinois
Aging in Place, Anxiety, Coaching, Fitness, Feeding and Eating, Knowledge Translation, Leadership, Maternal Health
Amy Lamb
OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Meraki&Me, LLC
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Aging in Place, Chronic Conditions, Coaching, Health Data, Health Policy, Health Promotion, Knowledge Translation, Lifestyle Medicine, Leadership, Prevention, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health, Trauma & PTSD
Katherine Gladhart-Hayes
MSOT, MPH, OTR/L
Researcher
Eugene, Oregon
Diana P Ludizaca
OTR/L
Belleville, New Jersey
Natalie White
OTR/L
Mayo Clinic Health System
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Dementia, Maternal Health, Neurorehabilitation
Ella Vanderpool
OTD, OTR/L
Denver, Colorado
Neurodiversity, Neurorehabilitation, Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, TBI, Vestibular & Balance Rehab
Alana Woolley
OTD, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
UnityPoint Meriter
Madison, Wisconsin
ADHD, Autism, Health Policy, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Knowledge Translation, Neurodiversity, Trauma & PTSD
Ellie Lane Murphy
OTD, OTR/L,
Educator
Ozarks Technical Community College
Springfield, Missouri
ADHD, Autism, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Social Determinants of Health
Ellen Sullivan
OTR/L
Silver Spring, Maryland
Anxiety, Coaching, Health Promotion, Lifestyle Medicine, Prevention
Carsyn Thomas
OTS
Xavier University
Cable, Ohio
ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Chronic Conditions, Chronic Pain, Feeding and Eating, Hippotherapy, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Maternal Health, Multiple Sclerosis, Nature-based, Neurodiversity, Neurorehabilitation, NICU, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Orthopedics & Musculoskeletal, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Rare Diseases
Addison Foote
OTS
Student
Cincinnati, Ohio
Chronic Conditions, Ergonomics, Nature-based, Prevention, Trauma & PTSD
Ashley Henges
OTS
Student
Xavier University
Batavia, Ohio
ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Fitness, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Orthopedics & Musculoskeletal
Kamille Perry
OTS
Xavier
Cincinnati, Ohio
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Aquatic Therapy, Cerebral Palsy, Dementia, Fitness, Hippotherapy, Insomnia & Sleep, Low Vision Rehabilitation, Maternal Health, Multiple Sclerosis, Neurodiversity, Neurorehabilitation, NICU, Pelvic Health, Sexuality/Intimacy, Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke
Ashley Elma
OTS
Student
Xavier University
Cincinnati, Ohio
ADHD, Autism, Cancer, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Hand Therapy, Home Modifications, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Lifestyle Medicine, Lymphedema, Maternal Health, Neurodiversity, Neurorehabilitation, NICU, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Prevention, Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, TBI, Trauma & PTSD, Tourette syndrome
Camryn McCoy
OTS
Student
Cincinnati, Ohio
Chronic Conditions, Cognitive Rehabilitation, Fitness, Maternal Health, Neurorehabilitation, Pelvic Health, Sexuality/Intimacy, Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, TBI
Anna Addison
MSOT, OTR
Industry Professional
Prompt Health
San Francisco, California
Aging in Place, Aphasia & Communication Disorders, Burns, Cancer, Chronic Conditions, Chronic Pain, Cognitive Rehabilitation, Ergonomics, Fitness, Feeding and Eating, Health Data, Home Modifications, Leadership, Medication Management, Multiple Sclerosis, Neurorehabilitation, Orthopedics & Musculoskeletal, Parkinson’s, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Rare Diseases, Sports Medicine & Performance, Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, TBI, Trauma & PTSD, Vestibular & Balance Rehab, Wound Care
Destiney Carmichael
OTS
Student
Xavier University
Cincinnati, Ohio
Aging in Place, ADHD, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Anxiety, Assistive Technology, Autism, Burns, Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Conditions, Chronic Pain, CIMT, Cognitive Rehabilitation, Dementia, Dystonia, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Fitness, Feeding and Eating, Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), Home Modifications, Insomnia & Sleep, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Lymphedema, Maternal Health, Multiple Sclerosis, Nature-based, Neurodiversity, Neurorehabilitation, NICU, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Orthopedics & Musculoskeletal, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Parkinson’s, Pelvic Health, Prevention, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Rare Diseases, Rheumatic Diseases, Seating and Mobility, Sexuality/Intimacy, Social Determinants of Health, Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, TBI, Trauma & PTSD, Vestibular & Balance Rehab
Virginia Padgett
OTS
Student
Xavier University
Verona, Kentucky
ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Conditions, Chronic Pain, Fitness, Feeding and Eating, Home Modifications, Insomnia & Sleep, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Leadership, Nature-based, Neurodiversity, NICU, Prevention, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Seating and Mobility
Haley Parker Lamattina
OTR/L
Merrimack, New Hampshire
ADHD, Anxiety, Aquatic Therapy, Assistive Technology, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Conditions, Chronic Pain, Dementia, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Ergonomics, Fitness, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Lifestyle Medicine, Nature-based, Neurodiversity, Neurorehabilitation, Prevention, Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, TBI, Trauma & PTSD
Why is acute care occupational therapy important?
Acute care is unique from other rehabilitation settings because the primary purpose is to help patients become medically stable and safe for discharge from the hospital. Acute care is short-term, fast-paced, and highly collaborative with other disciplines.
Along with your entire acute care team, our overall goal is to help you recover and transition home or to your next care setting as soon as you are safe to do so.
As occupational therapists, we are focused on evaluating your current level of functioning and planning treatment interventions to help you perform the daily tasks you need to be able to do to safely leave the hospital.
Often times, peoples’ acute health conditions impact their ability to do the daily tasks they once took for granted, like:
Getting Dressed
Bathing
Eating
Remembering Medication
Managing Their Health
Meal Prep
Driving a Car
Having the energy to do your morning routine
In many cases, we will have you actually practice these things—as oftentimes patients are not yet aware of how their health condition has impacted their abilities.
By practicing these things BEFORE you go home, we help reduce the likelihood of:
Falls
Readmissions
Unnecessary days at the hospital
From a scientific perspective, we also practice the things you will need to be able to because it activitates something called activity dependent neuroplasticity. Your brain learns by doing, and during an acute illness your brain is learning how to get through the day with your new health status.
Is acute care OT cost-effective?
Medical bills from a hospital stay can be daunting, and rightfully lead you to question each line item.
That is why it is so important to us as occupational therapists that your care is effective AND cost-effective.
We work to save you money over time, by reducing things like:
Readmissions ($15,000 on average)
Falls ($15,000 on average)
Unnecessary hospital days ($2,600/day on average)
If you need continued care after the hospital, we also want to make sure you have the right level of care, as these are huge decisions for your family:
Skilled nursing facility ($10,000 per month on average)
24/7 home care ($15,000 per month on average)
The research on helping you avoid or reduce these costs is quickly evolving, and we are following it closely to ensure you have the best care.
Here are some landmark studies that guide our practice:
Higher Hospital Spending on Occupational Therapy Is Associated With Lower Readmission Rates (2017)
Economic Effects of Occupational Therapy Services for Adults in Acute and Subacute Care Settings (2022)
What does an acute care OT eval involve?
During the first visit from your acute care OT, they will likely want to learn about you and what they can do to help you discharge safely.
This means learning about what your life was like before you came to the hospital. (The technical term we use is your “prior level of function.”)
We’ll also want to understand what you need to be able to do to safely discharge. Down to details like:
Will someone be at your home to help you?
What do you need to be able to do by yourself?
What are your concerns?
Are there questions you have about your health condition and managing it?
We may also use standardized assessments, to gather information. These may include:
What does acute care OT treatment involve?
As we mentioned above much of what you will do with your acute care therapist is practicing what you need to do to discharge safely.
The technical term we use for this practice is “activities of daily living (ADL)” training.
We also have specific skills to help your healing process to support function. These skills can include:
Amputation management
Assistive technology recommendations
Cognitive assessment/training
Lymphedema management
Neuro-retraining (post stroke)
Perinatal Care
Wheelchair management
Wound management
Finally, throughout your sessions your occupational therapist should be educating you AND your caregiver on safety and can help answer any questions about your health condition. (Or direct you to the right people to do so.)
What does discharge from OT look like?
If you need continued therapy after your acute care stay, there are multiple options for discharge. The most common include:
What are other ways OTs contribute to acute care teams?
There is much team coordination that happens in the hospital setting. Often times, in addition to seeing individual patients, OTs will serve on teams to improve the overall hospital experience.
For example, we may serve team dedicated to exploring completely new models of acute-level care like the hospital at home model.
It is also common for OTs to be involved in fall prevention and mobility teams. It is difficult to balance the tension between mobility and reducing falls, so this is an area where we are watching closely for new evidence and technologies that are coming out.
Basic information about your acute care OT
About a third of OTs work in the hospital setting. Making it the most common place for OTs to work.
To become an OT in the US today, you need a masters or doctoral degree. Beyond that, many OTs go on to earn specialized certifications and continuing education in their particular area of work.
Based on our OT salary guide, OTs in the hospital setting make a median income of $86,000/year.
Conclusion
Hopefully this post has answered all of your basic questions about acute care OT!
If you have any unanswered question, or information you would like to see in updates to this post, please contact us!
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Contributors
Sarah Lyon
OTR/L
Sarah Lyon, OTR/L, is the CEO of OT Potential. Sarah earned her BA from St. Olaf College and her master’s degree in occupational therapy from New York University. Her diverse clinical background spans multiple settings, including critical access, acute trauma, and state inpatient psychiatric hospitals. In 2011, she founded OT Potential to fulfill the industry's need for reliable, high-quality occupational therapy resources and continuing education.
As a recognized content creator, Sarah has collaborated with top healthcare brands like VeryWell Health, WebPT, and MedBridge. She blends her clinical expertise with a talent for creating clear, action-oriented content that empowers practitioners to excel. Passionate about elevating the OT profession, she has been featured on numerous industry podcasts. Sarah ultimately returned to her roots, running OT Potential and raising her family in her hometown of Aurora, Nebraska.
Alana Woolley
OTD, OTR/L
Alana is an occupational therapist focusing on pediatric mental health and familial wellness. After obtaining her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, Alana started her OT career as an inpatient therapist at an acute child and adolescent psychiatric hospital in Madison, WI. Her passion for evidence-based practice, active knowledge translation practices, and family-centered care are the foundation for her clinical practice. Some of her favorite occupations include bike riding, playing board games, and making things by hand.