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Greetings, everyone! This is the first issue of an occasional newsletter I'll be sending to everyone who's signed up for the informal network. So far, we are a tiny group; but hopefully the word of our existence will spread and more of our colleagues will join us. We are an eclectic bunch: some of us have several years of case management experience under our belts; others are just beginning to provide case management in an "official" capacity; and a few have joined us because they are exploring options for changing the ways they apply their OT skills and experience. At this time, I am not limiting participation in our network to OTs with specific case management credentials, or even to OTs whose job responsibilities are specifically identified as case management. If the network ever gets big enough to make such distinctions necessary, we will probably have the "critical mass" necessary to form an official Special Interest Group (SIG) under AOTA.
I put "official" in quotes because I believe there are a lot of "clinical" OTs out there who are providing a form of case management services to their clients without recognition or reimbursement. They see these "extra" services (often provided on their own time) as simply part of their vision for comprehensive OT services that include attention to what Kielhofner's Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) terms "environmental" aspects of a person's occupational performance continuum. A lengthy discussion on the occupational therapy listserve in early '96 indicated that U.S. OTs who are providing "environmental" services during their salaried hours face censure from management because their "productivity" (i.e., their billable hours) is not up to snuff. The Canadian OTs involved in the discussion were mystified because under the Canadian health care system, their professional time is divided into "direct" (i.e., personal interaction with clients), "indirect" (i.e., time spent on issues affecting the client, but not in the client's presence) and "non-client" time (e.g., paid breaks, Department and Program meetings that do not discuss specific clients, personal time off and, in some situations, travel time to engage in indirect services.
Thus, I got the idea for this network, as a mechanism not only for identifying OTs who have made the transition into Case Management, but also to promote the "lost" aspect of OT holistic practice in hopes that we on this network will be able to remind our more traditional colleagues that "case management" is a part of traditional practice.
This Network will be what we all make of it; therefore, I am relying on you all to send me things to put in the newsletter to benefit us all. Please make sure to read the section on Submitting items to this newsletter for initial ideas on what to send; but don't be shy if your idea for a contribution isn't on the list.
As of April 4, 1997, 24 people have signed onto the network. Some have provided only email addresses, which limits their accessibility to network members who aren't "wired" yet. A few of you also neglected to include your zip codes.
Not everyone has specified to me whether I have permission to release his/her name and contact info. to people not signed up with the network. Since I am not running a mailing list service, I will count the "no comments" as a denial of permission of access by anyone not on the list. I don't anticipate being asked by "outsiders" for your contact info.; but it pays to prepare for contingencies.
Also, due to the controversy about NBCOT, I am no longer requesting certification numbers, and have deleted those that were provided to me.
Several of you left the "specialties" question blank. I asked for that info. in order to help us all know who would be the best person to brainstorm with if we're seeking info. or support.
I invite each of you to:
so that anyone visiting my Homepage will be able to read it (and I'll announce its presence to the OT listserve so you'll get a broad OT audience).
Write a little biographical sketch for the "Member Profile" column.
"Case Management" is a term used somewhat generically to describe a variety of services requiring a variety of expertise. There have been complaints by certification candidates that existing examinations are unfairly weighted to specific practice settings. Six types of credentials are *described briefly below. For more details, contact the addresses at the end of each description.
:
7313 Southview Ct. Fairfax Station, VA 22039 (860) 586-7525 |
:
PO Box 1880 San Gabriel, CA 91778 (818) 286-8074 Fax: (818) 286-9415 |
4700 W. Lake Ave. Glenview, IL 60025-1485 (800) 229-7530 |
3389 Sheridan St. #170 Hollywood, FL 33021 (800) 962-2260 |
1985 Rohlwing Rd. #D Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 (847) 818-0292 fax: (847) 394-2172 |
[formerly Certified Insurance Rehab. Specialist - CIRS):
1835 Rohlwing Rd. #E Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 (847) 394-2106 Fax: (847) 394-2172 |
*descriptions from Case Management Advisor (1997) 8(1) p. 3-4
**The issue of "acceptable employment experience" is trickier than it looks. CDMSC rejected the job experience of an OTR who'd provided hand therapy services in a clinic to work. comp. claimants; but accepted her job as an OTR in a work hardening clinic. If you understand the distinction, send me an explanation and I'll publish it in a future newsletter.
The OT listserve ("occup-ther") is an Internet discussion group open to all OTs (but not to OT students) with email accounts. There are currently more than 400 OTs from 20 countries who subscribe to this listserve. Discussion topics range from "what is OT?" to requests for specific information or ideas for intervention. The volume of email you get from being on this listserve ranges from 5-40 items per day; so it can be time-consuming. However, participants try to describe the content of their postings in the subject line so topics of no interest to individuals can be deleted without reading them.
To subscribe, put in the "to" space of your emailer:
Leave the "subject" line blank. In the message space, put:
You will receive an automated response. If you have difficulties with this subscription method, you can send your request to the list manager, Barbara O'Shea:
I've found this listserve to be a wonderful form of continuing education; and I highly recommend it to you.
Please send me your contributions on disk, with a hard copy to illustrate your formatting. I use Word for Windows 6.0; so if you use a different word processing program, please provide a version in ASCII (.txt) format as well as in your own word processor format, in case I can't convert it. For those of you who don't use a word processor, please type it. I can scan it into my computer, but converting it to text is time consuming, so receiving a disk is infinitely preferable.
If you want to email me the content, that's fine - you can either attach it to your email as Word for Windows 6.0 document, or as an ASCII document; or just have it as the body of the email (depending on how long it is). However, please fax or mail me a copy to illustrate your format if it matters to you; otherwise you'll be at my stylistic mercy (and I don't have Desktop Publishing capabilities).
The same instructions apply if you'd like me to post your contribution on my webspace.
I, the editor, have the pleasure of introducing you all to our South African colleague, Morag Cave. Morag found the call for members of this network on my webpage. I hope you will all agree with me that perspectives from OTs practicing outside the U.S. are welcome, and likely to make us think more creatively about our own frustrations.
Morag completed her OT training in the United Kingdom and spent the first 4 years of her OT career there. She worked primarily with people who had neurological disorders, including neuropsychiatric ailments such as organic brain syndrome, Alzheimer's and cerebral lupus. During her years in Britain, Morag also worked with people receiving treatment through the orthopedic, surgery, rheumatology and geriatric medicine departments of her facility, and developed what has become her abiding interest in community-based OT services.
Morag has been practicing in Johannesburg, South Africa since 1982, continuing to specialize in neurological disorders and community-based service. In 1992, she became the Rehabilitation Coordinator for a hospital unit - the first of its kind in the private sector - which specializes in disorders of the nervous and/or skeletal system. Morag has been in private practice since August, 1996, also lecturing at a local university in the OT and psychology departments; and providing clinical supervision to final-year OT students.
Morag has been an outspoken advocate for "real-world" rather than text-book-based services; and has a repertoire of fascinating anecdotes about crisis interventions she has provided for her clients. Thanks to the Internet, Morag is "instantly" available to compare notes via email; and she has "arrived" on the OT Listserve with some thought-provoking comments and questions. Any of you who have email, give Morag an e-holler. The rest of us will have to hope to meet her at a conference someday!
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