Work within managed resources

Question 1

Models of Care

Answer 1

• Direct 1:1 care where an occupational therapist provides individual care to each client separately
• Groups where an occupational therapist provides care to multiple clients simultaneously in a group
  setting
• Consultation where an occupational therapist provides recommendations for a client or type of client to be carried out by someone else
• Collaborative or inter-professional care where an occupational therapist works with other providers in delivering client care
• Assigning care where an occupational therapist assigns aspects of client care to another person, for example, an occupational therapist assistant
• Virtual Services where an occupational therapist uses information and communication
  technologies (ICT) to deliver services when the client and occupational therapist are in different physical locations.
  If resources are limited, it may be beneficial to examine the current model of service delivery that is used and consider alternative options that are safe, evidence-informed, and cost effective for the delivery of occupational therapy services.

Question 2

Strategies for Occupational Therapy Services

Answer 2

• Consult and collaborate within your organization to develop priorities for occupational therapy services;
• Set realistic limits on the type of occupational therapy services that can be delivered within the current funding model and communicate this with management, the treatment team, and clients;
• Use the Decision-Making Framework to assist you in determining the type and amount of occupational therapy services that can reasonably be delivered;
• Consult, share, and collaborate with occupational therapists and other stakeholders within and outside the organization to investigate alternative ways of dealing with limited resources;
• Use evidence-informed practice to develop service models and provide rationale for service delivery recommendations when presenting options to management or payers;
• Investigate and develop new, innovative service models and advocate for permission or resources to carry out a pilot project to evaluate effectiveness;
• Notify employers or management if workplace policies and procedures are inconsistent with College standards.

Question 3

Strategies for Managing Caseloads

Answer 3

• Critically review and evaluate the services being delivered;
• Propose modification to the scope of occupational therapy services provided to ensure the
  service delivery model is safe and effective for clients;
• Consult and collaborate with team members regarding any change to occupational therapy
  services;
• Develop an occupational therapy priority matrix that supports decision-making for effective
  allocation of resources;
• Conduct an environmental scan of occupational therapists in similar roles to determine any
  strategies that could assist with caseload management;
• Engage in discussions regarding caseload demands with relevant management within the
  organization;
• Speak with management regarding any identified risks to clients in the event the
  occupational therapist feels the provision of care is compromised or unsafe due to the
  allocation of resources or staffing;
• Explore tools to assist you in caseload mx

Question 4

Strategies for Collaborative Care

Answer 4

• Engage collaboratively with other service providers in the management of resources;
• Communicate effectively with other service providers to ensure that client care is coordinated;
• Determine if there are members of the team to whom you can assign care, for example,
  occupational therapist assistants. Additionally, examine if there are members of the team to
  whom you can refer to, for example, social workers or case managers;
• Work with team members to ensure that each provider’s scope, responsibilities, and role is
  clarified to prevent duplication of service when engaging in collaborative care.

Question 5

Strategies for Record keeping

Answer 5

• Determine the most appropriate frequency of documentation by examining the frequency of client interaction, change in the client’s status, the type of occupational therapy services being delivered, the setting in which services are being provided, and any relevant organizational policies that apply;
• Reflect on the length and quality of the documentation to ensure all relevant information is included and consider if there are opportunities to be more concise;
• Examine the clinical record to minimize the duplication of information, for example, if other providers have already documented about the same thing;
• Tailor your documentation to the client aspects that apply to occupational therapy;
• Use templates and forms when engaging in record keeping to support efficient documentation;
• Consider the use of organizationally accepted acronyms;
• Utilize technology such as secure dictation systems, tablets and laptops to assist with
  documentation efficiency.