As someone who has worked occupational therapy jobs, you understand that the career requires you to wear many hats. For patients, you’re a cheerleader, a shoulder to lean on and a means to gain a higher quality of life, all while serving as a source for reliable and compassionate healthcare advice. As such, the changes associated with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are right up your alley. Learn more about how the shift to value-based care isn’t a transition after all for OT professionals.
Changes ahead with ACA
For many years, insurance companies reimbursed providers through the fee-for-service model. This meant that healthcare professions were paid based on the number of tests they ordered or how many consultations their patients scheduled. New legislation is working to change this process into a more effective strategy, considering the toll the traditional method takes on patients’ wallets. A 2011 study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine found that common unnecessary tests, such as complete blood cell counts and annual electrocardiograms, cost $6.8 billion in 2009.
The ACA introduced Accountable Care Organizations. These require providers to meet patient health status benchmarks to receive a salary as a way to encourage value-based care. The transition encourages a more holistic approach, asking the patients what matters to them and adapting the care plan to fit those needs. More medical facilities are adjusting to payers’ adoption of this form of reimbursement, but OTs have utilized a patient-first mindset all along.
OTs and value-based care
The American Occupational Therapy Association explained that it has made efforts to showcase how OTs support the ACA’s goals, especially as they pertain to value-based care. The organization cited a Viewpoint published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that shared the same perspective about the role of OTs. The article explained that high-quality care is especially important to patients with disabilities or chronic conditions, whose treatment plan is built around personal goals, beliefs and lifestyles. OTs help people with activities like getting back to work or walking down the aisle on their wedding day, which focus on all components of someone’s well-being, from happiness to health.
While taking a patient-centered approach is in the very nature of an OT ‘s job, there are ways organizations and medical professionals can improve. For instance, OT facilities may benefit from onboarding more team members so OTs have ample time to dedicate to patients. Meanwhile, OTs can get better acquainted with the technology available at their organizations and continue to apply effective communication skills to build better relationships with patients.