The Value of Acute and Postacute OT

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Many of us were not taught about the economics of OT in occupational therapy school. And, part of that reason is that the research base on the economic value of our work is just emerging. 

In this episode we will look at an article on the economic effects of OT in the acute and subacute setting. 

The good news in this article is that there is a growing amount of research about the economic value of OT—and the initial research is promising. 

The problem is that the existing research is widely varied and there simply is not enough of it. This means we have to be carefully measuring our outcomes at the individual level. 

To talk about what this means for our individual practices, I’m excited to welcome to the podcast Jeffrey Kou, OTR/L. Having worked in acute rehabilitation, Jeff is passionate about helping fellow OTs provide high value care in these areas. 

Primary Journal Article Explored

When you log in, be sure to check out the OT Potential Club’s written breakdown of the following research article. Then, share your questions and thoughts with fellow practitioners.

• Economic effects of occupational therapy services for adults in acute and Subacute Care Settings: A systematic review

Supporting Research and Journal Articles

• Measuring value: Cost-effectiveness analysis for occupational therapy
• Higher frequency of acute occupational therapy services is associated with reduced hospital readmissions

Learning Objectives

• You will be able to identify OT treatment approaches that have been shown to be cost effective in the acute and post acute settings.
• You will be able to identify the treatment approach that has been shown NOT to be cost effective in these settings. 

Agenda

Intro (5 minutes)

Breakdown and analysis of journal article (5 minutes)

• Intro to OT in acute and subacute settings
• What do we already know about the economic value of OT?
• What was the purpose of this paper?
• What were the methods?
• What were their results?
• Conclusions and discussion
• Implications for OT practitioners
• Takeaways for OT practitioners

Discussion on practical implications for OTs (with Jeffrey Kou) (50 minutes)

• Can you tell us about how you found OT?
• You have such a passion for providing high-value OT. How did that develop?
• My experience in OT school is that we shied away from the economics of OT. Was that your experience? If so, why do you think this is the case?
• Do you think about your OT services in terms of cost-effectiveness? How so?
• How did this article make you think differently about the value of OT?
• Was there anything in the lower cost-better outcome category that stood out to you and that you think would be helpful to dig deeper into? 
• The most basic value equation is “Value= quality/cost”. In this reality we always want to be increasing our quality, but decreasing cost. How can we do this in acute and subacute care?
• How can OTs learn more about the economics of their setting?
• What would you like to see in new research about cost-effectiveness moving forward?  

Target Audience/Educational Level

Our target audience is occupational therapy practitioners who are looking to learn about Economics of Acute Care OT. The educational level is introductory.

Financial and Non-financial Disclosures

It is the policy of OT Potential to disclose any financial and non-financial interest the provider or instructor may have in a product or service mentioned during an activity. This is to ensure that the audience is made aware of any bias of the speaker.

We here at OT Potential have no financial stake in this topic. Our guest, Jeffrey Kou also has no financial disclosures. 

Speakers

Jeffrey Kou, OTR/L:

Jeff began his healthcare career working as an EMT caring for the sick and injured and volunteering in the local emergency room during his undergraduate studies. He earned his BS in chemistry from UC Davis and a master’s degree in occupational therapy from Dominican University in 2018.

He is the co-author of a published research article exploring the experience of first time guide dog owners. Jeff has worked as an occupational therapist in acute rehabilitation and acute care in a level I trauma hospital. He is also the founder of OT Dude and creates helpful resources for students, practitioners, and the general public.

Sarah Lyon, OTR/L:

Sarah’s passion is helping fellow OT practitioners translate evidence into daily practice. Sarah earned her BA in religion from St. Olaf College, then earned her master’s degree in occupational therapy from New York University in 2011.

Since then, she’s worked in numerous facilities, including a critical access hospital, an acute trauma hospital, and a state inpatient psychiatric hospital. Sarah is the founder/owner of OT Potential. Read more about OT Potential here.

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