Occupational Therapist (OT) - Home Health
About The Position
The Occupational Therapist provides home health therapy services to patients while maintaining high-quality care and supervising therapy assistants. The role evaluates patients’ functional status and home environments, identifies equipment needs, develops treatment programs and goals, and contributes to each patient’s overall plan of care. The therapist communicates with physicians and other care professionals, maintains clinical records, coordinates services, supports discharge planning, and follows company policies and applicable standards and regulations. The therapist may teach or retrain patients in daily activities, fabricate splints, and train patients to use adaptive, prosthetic, or orthotic devices. The role also includes educating families, caregivers, and home health personnel about treatment when appropriate. When therapy is the only skilled service, the therapist instructs, supervises, and evaluates home health aide care every 14 days.
Requirements
- Graduate of an occupational therapy curriculum accredited jointly by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association and the American Occupational Therapy Association.
- Registered with the National Registration Examination of the American Occupational Therapy Association.
- Two years of clinical experience as an occupational therapist.
- Current, valid therapy license in the state of employment.
- Good verbal and written communication and organizational skills.
- Current CPR certification.
- Licensed driver with an insured automobile that meets state or organization requirements and is in good working order.
- Capable of performing the job functions with or without accommodation.
Responsibilities
- Evaluate patients’ functional status, including muscle function, endurance, visual coordination, communication skills, self-care ability, and work capacity.
- Evaluate the home environment for hazards or barriers to independent living and identify equipment needs.
- Participate in developing the total plan of care and communicate the plan to the referring physician and other company professionals.
- Develop treatment programs and establish goals for improved function.
- For patients planning to return to work, conduct work-capacity evaluations and refer to specialized vocational training in accordance with company policy when appropriate.
- Teach new skills or retrain patients in daily activities affected by illness or injury.
- Fabricate splints and instruct patients in the use of adaptive equipment; train patients in the use of prosthetic or orthotic devices when appropriate.
- Maintain clinical records, notes, and reports; notify the physician of changes in a patient’s condition and submit records according to company policy.
- Communicate with other personnel involved in patient care to promote coordinated and efficient services.
- Attend and contribute to in-services, case conferences, and other required meetings.
- Identify patient and caregiver needs for other home health services and make referrals as appropriate.
- Instruct patients’ families or caregivers and other home health personnel in treatment regimes when indicated and appropriate.
- Supervise certified occupational therapy assistants according to organization policy and state regulations.
- When therapy is the only skilled service, instruct, supervise, and evaluate home health aide care every 14 days.
- Participate in patient discharge planning.
- Adhere to company policies and procedures and perform other assigned duties.
