Health Care Management in Occupational Therapy

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Class
OTHA 2235

Explores the roles of the occupational therapy assistant in health care delivery.  Topics include documentation, reimbursement, credentialing, ethical standards, health care team role delineation, and management.  (WECM 51.0803)

Professional Behavior

Professional conduct and communication are considered to be essential skills in the healthcare professions and are required in the classroom, as well as, in any online course environment.  Students are expected to be polite and respectful, whether talking face-to-face, e-mailing, chatting, or posting online.  Behavior that is disruptive (i.e., excessive talking, rudeness to others, distracting behaviors such as leaving and re-entering class, cell phones ringing, etc.) will not be tolerated.  Cell phones must be placed on silence during classes.

 

Course Learning Objectives

Delineate the roles of the occupational therapy personnel; demonstrate legal, documentation skills; give examples of reimbursement systems; articulate the requirements for certification and licensure; explain quality assurance; apply ethical standards in practice; summarize the roles of the health care team; and differentiate levels of supervision.  (WECM 51.0803)

Objectives

After completing this course, the student must be able to:

  1. Delineate the roles of the occupational therapy personnel.  (ACOTE B.9.7., B.9.8.)
  2. Demonstrate legal documentation skills.  (ACOTE B.7.6.)
  3. Give examples of reimbursement systems.  (ACOTE B.7.4.)
  4. Articulate the requirements for certification and licensure.  (ACOTE B.7.3., B.9.4.)
  5. Explain quality assurance.  (ACOTE B.7.6.)
  6. Apply ethical standards in practice.  (ACOTE B.9.1., B.9.5., B.9.9., B.9.10.)
  7. Summarize the roles of the health care team.  (ACOTE B.5.2.)
  8. Differentiate levels of supervision.  (ACOTE B.7.7.)
  9. Describe the consultative process as related to consumers.(ACOTE B.5.26., B.6.4., B.9.12.)
  10. Demonstrate an understanding of the use of technology as it relates to the management and practice of occupational therapy.  (ACOTE B.1.8.)
  11. Discuss the impact of policy issues and the legislative entities as related to the practice of occupational therapy.  (ACOTE B.6.2., B.7.2.)

Tasks

  1. Delineate the roles of the occupational therapy personnel.  (SCANS )
  1. Recognize the roles of management and leadership in occupational therapy.
  2. Recognize the general roles of the OT and the OTA.
  3. Compare the roles of the entry-level OTR and COTA practitioner.
  4. Recognize the role of the COTA supervisee.
  5. Articulate the role of the mentor in occupational therapy.
  1. Demonstrate legal documentation skills.  (SCANS )
  1. Perform legal documentation required by Medicare/Medicaid.
  2. Perform legal documentation required by accrediting agencies.
  3. Perform specific documentation requirements for different service delivery areas.
  4. Perform documentation terminology approved by Medicare guidelines.
  1. Give examples of reimbursement systems.  (SCANS )
  1. Recognize the types of reimbursement and payment systems.
  2. Understand basic reimbursement terminology.
  3. Understand the guidelines for reimbursement.
  4. Recognize legislation and how it directly affects occupational therapy reimbursement.
  5. Understand documentation as it relates to the reimbursement process.
  1. Articulate the requirements for certification and licensure.  (SCANS )
  1. Articulate the basic process of credentialing.
  2. Understand the information resources for state credentialing.
  3. Outline the milestones in the OT credentialing.
  1. Explain quality assurance.  (SCANS )
  1. Differentiate between quality assurance, quality assessment improvement, and performance improvement.
  2. Understand JCAHO 10-step process for monitoring and evaluating quality standards.
  1. Apply ethical standards in practice.  (SCANS )
  1. Understand the fundamental nature of ethics.
  2. Articulate the ethical behaviors guiding the practice of OT.
  3. Articulate the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics.
  4. Understand ethical reasoning as a base for decision making.
  5. Understand Law and Ethics in Practice.
  1. Summarize the roles of the health care team.  (SCANS )
  1. Understand the role of the OTA as a manager including various styles of management.
  2. Understand the role of the OTA as a leader.
  3. Understand the role of the OTA in business.
  1. Differentiate levels of supervision.  (SCANS )
  1. Differentiate levels of supervision and levels of practice.
  2. Delineate AOTA guidelines for amount and scope of supervision.
  3. Understand how various amounts of directive and support behavior determine the type and style of supervision selected.
  1. Describe the consultative process as related to consumers.  (SCANS )
  1. Understand the role of COTA as a consultant.
  2. Articulate the various consumer needs for occupational therapy services.
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the use of technology as it relates to the management and practice of occupational therapy.  (SCANS )
  1. Identify specific types of technology which can be used by OTA managers to improve overall productivity.
  2. Discuss the advantages of current technology in the management of an OT department.
  1. Discuss the impact of policy issues and the legislative entities as related to the practice of occupational therapy.  (SCANS )
  1. Discuss current federal and state legislative issues and how they affect OTA practice.
  2. Identify sources which allow OTAs to monitor legislation affecting the occupational therapy profession.
Required Textbooks

Management Skills for the Occupational Therapy Assistant, Amy Solomon and Karen Jacobs, ISBN:  978-1-55642-538-7

Occuptional Therapy Practice Framework:  Domain and Process, 2nd ed., American Occupational Therapy Association, ISBN:  978-1-56900-265-0

OTA Exam Review Manual, 2nd ed., Karen Sladyk, ISBN:  978-1-55642-701-5

Quick Reference to Occupational Therapy, 2nd ed., Kathlyn L. Reed,

           ISBN:  978-0944480809

Ryan’s Occupational Therapy Assistant:  Principles, Practice Issues, and Techniques, 4th ed., Sally E. Ryan and Karen Sladyk, ISBN:  978-1-55642-740-4

Required Materials

Laptop computer or other materials for note taking; access to a computer and printer for completing assignments; email availability for completing course assignments and general course communication.  Computers are available for students to use for educational purposes in the Academic Support Center in the Education Center at Mineral Wells.

Evaluation Standards

Assignments

All assignments are due at the beginning of the class period unless otherwise stated and are expected to be original, independent work.  Each assignment should be neat and legible, with correct spelling and grammar.  Acceptance of late assignments due to an absence, are at the discretion of the instructor.  

Make-Up Work/Exams

Make-up work/exams will be required for absences in order to ensure that students acquire information and skills presented during their absence. Students will be responsible for contacting their instructor(s) about missed assignments and/or exams. All assignments and/or exams are due upon the student’s return to class.  Make-up work, however, is at the discretion of the instructor.

Grade Compilation

Quizzes                                          20%

Midterm Exam                                25%

Final Exam                                     25%

Assignments                                  20%

Participation*                                  10%

 

                                           Total  100%

*Participation includes:

  • Punctual attendance
  • Active communication
  • Class and lab engagement
  • Professional behavior during all class and lab time
  • Preparedness for class
  • Provide applicable written feedback related to peer presentations

Grading Scale

A                90-100%

B                  80-89%

C                 75-79%

F      Less than 75%

Absences
  1. Attendance is essential for the attainment of course objectives. Students are allowed no more than three absences per course, per semester.  Students exceeding the three absences will be dropped from the course(s) and will not be allowed to continue in fieldwork courses. Fieldwork failures/withdrawals are addressed in the Fieldwork Handbook. Students will be allowed to continue in the remaining didactic courses, but will not be able to continue on to the next semester.
  2. Late arrivals and early departures are not allowed in class, lab, or fieldwork. This behavior can cause students to be unsuccessful in the program and could lead to dismissal from the program.
  3. If a student is dropped from the program for absences or for academic reasons, he/she may reapply the following year.  (See Returning Students section in the OTA Student Handbook.)
Instructional Methods

Lectures; laboratory activities; reading assignments; individual and/or group projects, structured activities, and assignments; group discussion; audio-visual materials; and/or computer-based activities.

Disabilities

ADA Statement:

Any student with a documented disability (e.g. learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) may contact the Office on the Weatherford College Weatherford Campus to request reasonable accommodations. Phone: 817-598-6350 Office Location: Office Number 118 in the Student Services Building, upper floor. Physical Address: Weatherford College 225 College Park Drive Weatherford, TX.

Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity is fundamental to the educational mission of Weatherford College, and the College expects its students to maintain high standards of personal and scholarly conduct. Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials including unauthorized use of Generative AI. Departments may adopt discipline specific guidelines on Generative AI usage approved by the instructional dean. Any student who is demonstrated to have engaged in any of these activities will be subject to immediate disciplinary action in accordance with institutional procedures.
Hope Statement
Any student who faces challenges securing basic resources such as food, clothing, or housing and believes this may affect their performance in their course of study is urged to contact the Director of Student Resources, Dr. Deborah Cregger, for support at (817) 598-6444. Her office is on the first floor of Student Services. If the student prefers, they may contact their instructor, who can reach out on their behalf. Weatherford College also provides the Coyote Pantry. The Pantry maintains boxed and canned foods for students in need. The location of the Coyote Pantry is two blocks west of the Weatherford campus at the Baptist Student Ministry (118 E. Park Ave., Weatherford). Pantry hours are Mon-Thurs. 8:30 am-4:30 pm and Fri. 8.30 am-12:00 pm (817-599-6586).
SCANS

The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) identified Foundation Skills in the areas of Basic Skills, Thinking Skills, and Personal Qualities, and Workplace Competencies in the areas of Resources, Information, Interpersonal, Systems, and Technology.  This course is part of a program in which each of these Skills and Competencies are integrated.  The specific SCANS Competencies that are recognized throughout this course are noted in the Tasks section of this syllabus; and the Scans Competencies chart is the last page of this syllabus.