Re: Acute Care Overload...some thoughts

Tim Mancino — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:50:46 GMT

I usually write a goal for pt education and this tx goal can begin during the eval. Handouts can be used with the clients, so that even if there are no further treatment sessions, it can be documented that tx intervention was initiated. And in my eval summary I usually put goals pending LOS. So that should the pt be d/c'd before further treatment, then this is acknowledged as to why the POC was not finished for stated goals. Sometimes I state 'STG=LTG', so that if there are only a few issues to address, then I am not worrying about what gets done and when.

It is frustrating as to quality of care issues, and the effectiveness of therapy with very short LOS. That is why pt/cg education is so important. At least the pt and the family have some written material to review. Things such as home safety, body mechanics, what not to do or how to do - after a hip relplacement, understanding dementia, etc.

Tim Mancino, OTR/L

Acute Care Overload

Melanie Brock — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 01:28:52 GMT

I'm posting this for our whole department as well as our rehab manager, a PT. We are an OT department consisting of 3 full-time OTRs, 1 part-time OTR & COTA. One COTA will hopefully be back from a leave of absence at the end of April and one OTR will hopefully be hired soon to replace an OTR who recently resigned. Our department covers an acute care hospital, a skilled nursing facility, a senior medical mental health unit (2 groups per weekday) as well as out-patients (typically hospital employees as it is self-employed). Unfortunately, we are just spread to thin right now and the concerns are growing. The acute care evals are what are suffering and the acute care treatments are extremely difficult to get to. The word given to us is that the acute care evals must be done at least to give a status for patient discharge planning. However, when the OTRs write the evals they are still writing treatment goals, when in all likelyhood, the patient will not receive a treatment session. The department does not have a policy on this and hopefully this is a temporary situation, but complaints are being made and something must be done for this interim. Can an eval be written up to give a status for discharge planning, but avoid writing treatment goals for the acute care hospital stay? Any suggestions???

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Re: Acute Care Overload...some thoughts

Acute Care Overload