We’ve all known for a while that the current fee-for-service models that most occupational therapists operate under are bad for patients and bad for healthcare.

Why?

Because it incentives volume of services over quality of services.

If you’re like me, you may feel like you’ve been waiting for years for value based care to really take hold in the United States. But, this new future has felt like a distant reality.

Our guest today, Dana Strauss, PT, DPT, sees things from a different vantage point. As she’ll share in this episode, the future is actually here, it is just not evenly distributed.

Value-based programs have been piloted and they are on the cusp of rapid expansion in the United States. In our episode today, Dana will walk us through the value-based models that are currently out there, what ones are coming, and what you as an OT professional can do to prepare for this much-needed new reality.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-and-value-based-care

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Value-based outcome evaluation methods used by occupational therapists in primary care: A scoping review

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Through OT Potential, we’ve released over 94 episodes all exploring new influential OT research. As we enter 2025, it’s time to reflect on the research and ask:

What trends are we seeing in OT? How is new research enriching how we think about our practice?

In this 1 hour-episode, we’ll talk about new trends, with a particular focus on what commonalities we see leaders in our field doing in their occupational therapy process. We’ll culminate our discussion by exploring how people describe OT. This will be informed by our OT practice framework, but with a special focus on how we communicate about OT to the public.

For this exploration, we’ll welcome back to the podcast a past guest, who is now working in new frontiers for OT: Sarah Brzeszkiewicz, OTR/L. Together we’ll unpack what all of these trends mean for your OT practice.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/what-is-ot-in-2025

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process—Fourth edition

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Artificial intelligence is ushering a new era of healthcare tools. These range from ambient listening to streamlined practice management. But, the AI-supported that I believe will truly transform occupational therapy is:

Clinical Decision Support.

To be honest, it often feels like we have more clinical decision barriers than we have support. Our EMRs currently give us a set number of checkboxes, which massively pigeonhole our services, and often DO NOT reflect the kinds of best practice we teach here at OT Potential.

But, on the near horizon is dynamic point-of-service support that will help you choose the right assessments, set the right goals, and pursue the right treatment path for the patient in front of you.

Oh, and it will also be watching for red flags.

This is a lot to wrap our minds around. But, if we do it well, I think we will future proof our profession for changes to payment models and regulations, because it will so drastically increase our value.

In this course, we’ll review a new journal that outlines clinical decision support across 6 domains. Then, to walk us through what’s here now and what’s coming soon, I’m so thankful to welcome Brad Willingham, PhD, a clinical research scientist at Shepherd Center who has been focused on how AI is going to support clinical decision support.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ai-and-clinical-decision-support

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Advancing clinical decision support: The role of artificial intelligence across six domains.

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The Epley maneuver is a 💎 rare gem 💎 in the OT toolkit.

A patient can walk into our treatment room, and they can walk out cured.
They can walk out with instant relief.

(Yes, there is nuance to this. Sometimes the maneuver needs to be repeated. Sometimes it simply doesn’t work. There are important contraindications.) But, the other thing that makes this a GEM is that more so than any other condition we treat there are clear clinical guidelines for treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

But, despite the amazing power of this treatment, and the swath of research behind it. Many people fail to have their BPPV identified and treated in a timely manner.

In today’s article, we get to learn about a trauma center that trained their therapists in managing BPPV after TBI, and were able to reduce their referrals to neurology.

You are going to have so many questions after reading this article, and that’s why I am so thankful to welcome to the podcast, Jeff Walter, a PT who has devoted much of his career to treating and teaching on this condition.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-and-bppv

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Does training therapists to manage benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in patients with acute traumatic brain injury reduce vestibular neurology referrals?

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Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common cause of non-traumatic disability in people aged 18-65 years.

As rehab professionals, we know that exercise is one of the mainstays of treatment for these clients.

Though not definitively established, exercise has the most potential promise to be disease modifying if started early in the course of disease. But, alongside exercise there are other important interventions to consider like fatigue management and education.

In today’s article review, we will look at a massive overview of reviews (72 articles were included!). The article outlines the strength of the evidence being multiple types of rehab interventions.

Then, next week we are excited to welcome to the podcast Sarah Adam, OTD, an occupational therapist with MS who has taken her pursuit of adaptive sports to an elite level—and recently earned Silver in wheelchair rugby at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Sarah was the first woman to ever play on Team USA’s wheelchair rugby team, also made history as the first woman to score a point during an Olympic wheelchair rugby game. We clearly have so much to learn from Sarah that I know will inspire your OT practice.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-and-multiple-sclerosis

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Effective rehabilitation interventions and participation among people with multiple sclerosis: An overview of reviews

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As occupational therapists, many of us have witnessed the wonder of motor learning in neuro rehab.

Yet despite years of research attempting to identify the most effective post-stroke interventions, the reality is that our understanding of how to improve recovery of function remains incomplete.

The article we are reviewing today serves as an update on the state of the science in how new theories of motor control and learning can be incorporated into practice.

The authors put particular emphasis on how new technologies may be needed to truly meet the many principles of neuroplasticity, and in particular they point to virtual, augment, and mixed reality technologies.

After we review the research, we are excited to welcome to the podcast an OT who works for one such virtual rehab solution as their Manager of Clinical Services, Katie Riccio, MS, OTR/L. Katie will share what she has learned about neurorehab in her role. And orient us to the stroke rehab tech tools on the market, how they can intersect with you in-person practice—and what to expect on the horizon.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/motor-learning-in-neuro-rehab

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Motor Learning in Neurological Rehabilitation

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Unfortunately, research on the lived-experience for those with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome shows us that we as a profession need to be doing a better job.

People with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome report:

• A lack of reliable information for themselves
• Social stigma from peers.
• Lack of awareness of EDS in the healthcare community

As occupational therapy professionals, there is much we can contribute to supporting this population. And, today we’ll look at a self-management program that is grounded in behavior change theory and we co-designed with people with lived experience of EDS.

Next week we will welcome to the podcast, an occupational therapist who has EDS and also treats EDS clients in her clinical practice, Emily Rich, PhD, OTR/L. Emily and I will discuss self-management, along with assessment and treatment of EDS.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-and-ehlers-danlos-syndrome

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Developing a self-management intervention to manage hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS): an analysis informed by behaviour change theory.

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In 50 years, you will look back on your occupational therapy practice and see a clear line in the sand between pre-AI augmented documentation and today.

Ambient AI augmented documentation is going to:

✅Make documenting QUICKER
✅Make your notes HIGHER QUALITY
✅And, transform how you interact with clients

And, if we harness this technology correctly, it will improve👏 client 👏outcomes. 👏

Today, we’ll look at an example of the research that is already being published about how an ambient artificial intelligence tool can improve clinical documentation.

Then next week we will welcome to the podcast, Dennis Morrison, PhD, a clinician who has specialized in consulting with AI documentation startups. Together we’ll walk through the state of AI-augmented documentation and the questions of the MANY tools that are coming to the market for OT.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ai-in-documentation

Here's the primary research we are discussing:
Use of an ambient artificial intelligence tool to improve quality of clinical documentation.

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