OT Home Health

Homecare Occupational Therapist

The Homecare Occupational Therapist (OT) develops a plan of care for each patient assigned after evaluation/assessment to meet the patients and physicians goals of care, specific to the patient. OT may be assigned home health or hospice patient. OT reports to the Hospice Interdisciplinary team and collaborates with other team members as assigned to develop an interdisciplinary plan of care for each patient.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Evaluates patients for admission to home health and accepts those meeting criteria per CMS or payer guidelines and agency policy.
• Preforms initial and comprehensive assessments within established timeframes and accurately completes information.
• Establishes an age appropriate care plan, individualized for the patient, that focuses on self-management to include appropriate measurable goals/outcomes and interventions. Updates the care plan timely by resolving problems and adding new problems as indicated.
• Communicates with the patient's physicians regarding progress toward goals, new problems/issues that arise during course of treatment. Obtains, documents and implements orders received timely and communicates changes in plan of care to other care team members as appropriate.
• Includes patient and caregivers in development of plan of care and discharge plans.
• Individualizes patient education with attention to patient's learning preferences and barriers to learning.
• Organizes and provides care/treatment/services in cost-efficient manner including scheduling and utilization of visits and supplies.
• Completes all documentation and revisions within appropriate time frames.
• Appropriately manages time and daily tasks to achieve daily productivity goals.
• Supervises the COTA and communicates regularly with the COTA regarding patient's plan of care and progress toward goals to ensure that the plan of care is achieving set goals.
• For therapy only patients, supervises homecare assistants as assigned per agency policy and the homecare assistant in the patient record. Provides education to homecare assistant regarding the plan of care as indicated.
• For multi-discipline patients, collaborates and communicates with other members of the patient's care team regarding the patient's plan of care, including attendance at IDT meetings and 1:1 communication/collaboration.
• Assists patient to obtain needed/recommended equipment as indicated.
• Begins development of therapy discharge plan on admission and communicates the plan to patient/caregivers.
• Provides interventions and treatments according to physician/providers orders, per agency policy and procedure, using proper infection control and hand hygiene procedures.

Education

• Graduate of an accredited Occupational Therapy program required.

Work Experience

• Minimum one (1) year experience in a JCAHO accredited hospital. Minimum one (1) year experience in an acute rehab facility or equivalent serving the adult population. Six (6) months home care experience preferred. Computer skills preferred.

Certification/License

• Current certification from the American Occupational Therapy Association. Current license as an Occupational Therapist in the state of Missouri. American Heart Association CPR certification. Current driver's license and declaration of automobile liability insurance.

Mental/Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for long periods of time and to walk up and down flights of stairs. Ability to receive and express detailed information through oral communications, visual acuity, and the ability to read and understand written directions. Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills. Ability to safely operate an automobile. Drive: 2-4 hrs. per day. Must be able to maneuver around architectural barriers and obstructions in patient's home. Must be able to tolerate temperature changes, smoke, fumes, dust and pets found in patient's home.

Working Conditions

• Exposure to communicable disease via blood and body fluids. Exposure to infectious diseases and hostile persons at times. Works with sharps and other potentially biohazardous materials. Variation in environmental temperatures. Exposure to various community environments.