OT Potential Podcast | Occupational Therapy CEUs

Therapists across the globe are advocating that telehealth delivery be covered by our licenses (and reimbursed by insurers). Now, more than ever, I think it’s important to examine the research that backs up these efforts.The reality is that even before COVID-19, telehealth was showing significant promise to help reach more clients, and even improve outcomes.This week’s article is a randomized control trial (RCT) from one of the world’s most influential journals: The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). And, the results indicate that telehealth delivered to stroke patients to address UE motor deficits appeared to be just as effective as similar care care that was delivered in a clinic. To discuss this article further, please join us in the OT Potential Club. Cramer, S. C., Dodakian, L., Le, V., See, J., Augsburger, R., Mckenzie, A., … Janis, S. (2019). Efficacy of Home-Based Telerehabilitation vs In-Clinic Therapy for Adults After Stroke. JAMA Neurology, 76(9), 1079. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2019.1604(Another great way to support our podcast is to use our MedBridge promo code!) Support the show

One of the general trends we’ve been following on the podcast is the potential of using coaching strategies in occupational therapy. And, as therapists around the globe are dialing into teletherapy, this research trend merits some consideration. After all, it may be an effective strategy to consider as many of us are seeking to restructure how we offer our occupational therapy services.This week’s article on occupation-based coaching via telehealth really paints a picture of how coaching techniques may be an effective tool for OT professionals as our profession navigates this new frontier.You can join the conversation about this research in The OT Potential Club! Little, L. M., Pope, E., Wallisch, A., & Dunn, W. (2018). Occupation-Based Coaching by Means of Telehealth for Families of Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72(2). doi: 10.5014/ajot.2018.024786(Another great way to support our podcast is to use our MedBridge promo code!) Support the show

The world has changed drastically in a week’s time—and we are being asked to change with it.I know this has meant long, exhausting days. And, that we have been left scrambling trying to figure out what a “new normal” will look like in the weeks ahead. For many of you, telehealth will be part of this new normal. This is why I wanted to spend this week discussing AOTA’s Position Paper on Telehealth with you.No matter how quickly the world changes, I believe that, together, we can stay grounded in our mission: to provide the best possible care to our patients.  Please join on discussion on this and other coronavirus topics in The OT Potential Club. Cason, Jana, DHS,O.T.R./L.F., A.O.T.A., Hartmann, Kim, PhD,O.T.R./L., F.A.O.T.A., Jacobs, Karen, EdD, CPE,O.T.R./L., F.A.O.T.A., & Richmond, Tammy, MS,O.T.R./L., F.A.O.T.A. (2018). Telehealth in occupational therapy. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72, 1-18. (Another great way to support our podcast is to use our MedBridge promo code!) Support the show

Across the globe, our priority has shifted to quelling the spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes the illness dubbed COVID-19.The community in the OT Potential Club was created so OT professionals could collaborate on tough issues. This is exactly the time to share what is working in our healthcare settings—and what isn't.This week, we will be looking at care delivery guidelines released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).There is much to discuss this week, and I hope you will weigh in with your perspective as we all strive to keep our patients healthy and safe.(Another great way to support our podcast is to use our MedBridge promo code!) Support the show

In this podcast, we discuss an article on transgender health that makes a very specific recommendation for the role occupational therapy professionals can play in providing care to the transgender communityWe'll also discuss some general recommendations and considerations to keep in mind next time you find a transgender client on your caseload.Finally, we'll wrap up by talking about some trends that have repeatedly appeared in the research we've covered...and I am excited to discuss these with you!To join the discussion, sign in to the OT Potential Club!Wylie, K., Knudson, G., Khan, S. I., Bonierbale, M., Watanyusakul, S., & Baral, S. (2016). Serving transgender people: clinical care considerations and service delivery models in transgender health. The Lancet , 388 (10042), 401–411. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(16)00682-6(Another great way to support our podcast is to use our MedBridge promo code!) Support the show

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is one of those topics that we need to be keeping up with as OT practitioners, in part because there are some very compelling stories about its use that our patients may be encountering. This week's article gives us a helpful update on what we know (and don't know) about FES, and its use in a comprehensive stroke program. To join the conversation, please sign up for the OT Potential Club! Howlett, O. A., Lannin, N. A., Ada, L., & McKinstry, C. (2015). Functional electrical stimulation improves activity after stroke: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 96(5), 934-943. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2015.01.013(Another great way to support our podcast is to use our MedBridge promo code!) Support the show

This week, the podcast tackles a topic that can be confusing: sensory processing interventions for kids with autism.We look at a systematic review that tries to categorize different types of these interventions, then examine the evidence around each category.To join in the conversation, join the OT Potential Club! Case-Smith, J., Weaver, L. L., & Fristad, M. A. (2014). A systematic review of sensory processing interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism, 19(2), 133–148. doi: 10.1177/1362361313517762(Another great way to support our podcast is to use our MedBridge promo code!) Support the show

I’m sure most of us have experienced aspects of healthcare delivery that seem, shall we say, less than ideal. Maybe you’ve found yourself wondering just how, on earth, we managed to get where we are. How can our sophisticated healthcare systems, sometimes lead to such poor care? This week’s article is truly unique because it is a narrative review telling the story of one such healthcare failure: the opioid crisis. Even if you feel your work doesn't directly relate to the opioid crisis, I hope you consider spending some time with this article. It helps us understand the current state of healthcare, and perhaps you will find some ideas for how we can move forward. Tompkins, D. A., Hobelmann, J. G., & Compton, P. (2017). Providing chronic pain management in the “Fifth Vital Sign” Era: Historical and treatment perspectives on a modern-day medical dilemma. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 173. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.12.002(Another great way to support our podcast is to use our MedBridge promo code!) Support the show

I was reaching the end of this week’s article when my eyes suddenly flooded with tears.That’s because I encountered something we had not yet seen in the OT Potential Podcast: strengths-based recommendations. And I don't mean strength training. I mean focusing on our patients' strengths (rather than their impairments) and leveraging them so patients get the absolute most out of their care.This concept is especially important when you consider the patient population we examine this week: those with ataxia telangiectasia (A-T).We could easily focus on the disabilities of patients with this rare disease. However, the authors of this week's article did a fantastic job of looking at the innate strengths of patients with A-T, and how we might consider them when creating care plans. I will be eager to hear from anyone who has worked with this population and/or has experience with strengths-based approaches.Rothblum-Oviatt, C., Wright, J., Lefton-Greif, M.A. et al. Ataxia telangiectasia: a review. Orphanet J Rare Dis 11, 159 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13023-016-0543-7(Another great way to support our podcast is to use our MedBridge promo code!) Support the show

MELAS Syndrome is a rare and complex condition—but it is also statistically likely that someone in your community is living with it.This week's article provides a helpful overview of what we know (and don't know) about this syndrome, as well as considerations for our OT care.El-Hattab, A. W., Adesina, A. M., Jones, J., & Scaglia, F. (2015). MELAS syndrome: Clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, and treatment options. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 116(1-2), 4–12. doi: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2015.06.004(Another great way to support our podcast is to use our MedBridge promo code!) npsgdUQ6RMTzRirDM3fnSupport the show