Ron, re: occupation based practice. I posted information about an ad hoc group that looked at this topic. There is work to be done, no doubt.
I've pasted an excerpt from the executive summary below. The full report is available online at: http://www.aota.org/members/area6/2006-ra/pres2-B5a.pdf re: public awareness. One of the four strategic initiatives that evolved from the discussion about the vision for the profession is: "Demonstrating and articulating our value to individuals, organizations, and communities." You suggest that AOTA should do a number of things, yet you may not renew your membership. Without resources from you and other professionals, how are we going to get there? Chuck The report of the Ad hoc Workgroup on Implementing Occupation Based Practice provides insight into the state of OBP by describing essential features of that practice and delineating some of the barriers to implementation. The report offers a wide range of actions that can be taken by AOTA and in collaboration with organizational partners to facilitate the ongoing development and implementation of occupation based practice. Appendices 1 and 2 include the workgroup's reference list on occupation based practice and the sample interview questions used in gathering information from practitioners about their practice. Action Items: 1. Overarching: The profession must be united in understanding and implementing OBP 2. Education: Students must be firmly grounded in OBP and have the confidence to enact OBP 3. Continuing Education: Practicing clinicians and educators must understand and enact OBP across a variety of practice settings 4. Communication: All environments must be inundated with messages about OBP 5. Practical Guidance and Support: We must translate OBP into useful examples and tools 6. Inspiration: We must create a community of practice that is energized by OBP 7. Leadership: We must recognize and develop current and future leaders to sustain OBP 8. Evidence: We must establish the efficacy of OBP >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 04/19/06 10:21 PM >>> Hello Chuck: Your previous message states that occupation based practice is what makes OT unique. I think this is a statement that 'sounds' good but that has very little teeth! First off all, there is no consensus statement defining occupation or occupation-based practice. Even AOTA's official papers have trouble defining occupation. Secondly, the majority of our consumers care very little about occupation. They care about medical problems, not the loss of occupation caused by these problems. Because of one and two, many partitioners do not practice occupation-based practice. Now, let me say that I think occupation-based practice is great, but I also know that in many cases, it does not fit with patient's needs. Let me relay a recent conversation that I had with an elderly friend who has had PT for several different issues. The patient has never had OT. She knows that I'm an OT and one day she asked me the differences between PT and OT. As normal, I explained to her that OT is about occupation and about helping people regain the ability to do what is important to them. The conversation went on for quite a while and eventually the friend stated that OT seemed like a waste of time. The friend stated that the problem was that her previous stroke affected her balance. The PROBLEM was the balance! This friend expressed that if an OT could fix her balance then everything else would also get fixed. Occupation-based practice may make us unique, but it may also make us extinct. I don't want to dwell on the negative without offering a solution, so here's what I've suggested to AOTA. One of our biggest problems is the fit between what we say we do and what we actually do. In my mind, if more patients, doctors, and payers knew about occupation, then they would know about OT. As such, I advocate that AOTA establish a long-term national campign to educate teh world about occupation; it's definition, meaning and importance. I would love to drive to work and one day see a sign that read: "Occupation - more than your job". I think that saying we are occupational therapists is meaningless unless people learn to associate occupation with therapy. And that will take lots of time, money and effort from many, many people. We can say all day long that we are unique because of occupation-based practice but what difference will it make if no one knows what that means. Heck, many of US don't know what that means!! Ron =============================================== Monday, April 17, 2006, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > AOTA supports occupation based practice; that is what makes OT > unique -- Unsubscribe? [EMAIL PROTECTED] Change options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com Help? [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Unsubscribe? [EMAIL PROTECTED] Change options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com Help? [EMAIL PROTECTED]
