I think it is really great that this type of research is being done! Hopefully this will help kickstart similar research in the future so we can continue to prove how important our profession is! I really like how you broke the results down into different levels of cost effectiveness. It was extremely helpful to me in understanding how the results were broken down, and then breaking it down even further by practice area.
Some similar research I would like to see happen in the future related to this is how important client-centered care is in cost-effectiveness. I have a feeling that one of the biggest reasons OTs can help in saving money is our ability to build rapport quickly and problem solve to help clients live meaningful lives, which in turn helps them with self-esteem building and willingness to engage in treatment. Or maybe I’m just biased because I love the profession!
Such an important topic - and I agree, we need to get better and more comfortable about talking about the cost of our services, understanding the mechanisms for payment, the value overall but also talking to our clients and referral partners about the value (and perceived value they have). From a pediatric perspective I think we have the luxury of anticipating that anything we do is valuable if it provides positive outcomes because of the potential in the future for the child. The biggest take away I had from this is that we need to stop overworking - be very clear about how long it takes to provide a service (travel, report writing and research included) so that we can accurately measure that. Otherwise I think we are at danger of underselling the true cost of services (especially in community and private practice settings - and likely the research is in the acute and sub-acute settings because it is already gathering this data and easier to compare costs across services provided). I’d be interested to investigate at a clinic level the cost to value ratio to help with marketing a new service to referral partners - does anyone know of a ‘value measure’ that could be used across settings? Or is anyone already tracking this with their clients?
Such a good point - and I think speaks to a family centered framework to operate within. There is some good research around the cost of providing care for a family with a child with autism … treatments etc but importantly also including considering the loss of income from caregiver (usually the mother) not returning to work as planned and contributing 90% of the costs for the family - The Cost of Autism Spectrum Disorders - PMC
Definitely! Such an interesting topic. Will be curious to see how it impacts pricing! Attending a webinar on health care inflation later this week by KHN. Should be good
Love this article! So good to finally see some research done on cost and OT. Within our current healthcare system it is so important to understand how much it costs employers to provide OT services and how our services impact revenue for the company and financial implications for our patients.
Understanding how our services impact the cost of healthcare is even more important in value-based care. Such a fun topic!
