Ot Potential Podcast

Thumb osteoarthritis is a common condition in older adults. By age 50, the prevalence is about 8% in men and 25% in women-and it increases with age, with meta-analysis data suggesting that by age 80, approximately 39% of women have radiographic signs of thumb base OA.Conservative treatment is widely acknowledged as first-line care for thumb CMC OA, including occupational and physical therapy, particularly to help initiate splinting and exercise programs.With conservative treatment roughly 4 out of 5 cases can be managed successfully without surgery.Given the relatively high prevalence and importance of conservative intervention, it is critical that even generalist OTs be aware of its presentation and the basics of assessment and treatment.This course intends to do just that: equip the generalist therapist to watch for, assess, and treat thumb OA-and perhaps most importantly, know when to refer on. We'll be joined by hand therapist Preston Lockwood.See full course details here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-

The landscape of healthcare has been changed forever with the introduction of AI.Already, 1 in 3 adults are turning to chatbots to ask health related questions. For younger adults under age 30, the shift is even faster-nearly 30% now use AI specifically for mental health and emotional support.Amid these broad changes is a specific question for us as therapists: What happens when the chatbot starts to play the role of therapist?This service is already being offered by tools - like Abby - "Your AI Therapist."This raises so many questions for us-and at the heart of the questions is a moral and ethical one of turning our trust from individual humans to LLMs. Today, we'll walk through the broad ethical considerations with Megan Cornish is a licensed clinical social worker turned strategist who builds and scales ethical mental health brands.We'll discuss the ethics of this shift-and what our ethical duty is to respond, particularly in our day to day sessions with clients, who are likely beginnin

The landscape of private practice changed forever this year. With Amazon officially adding physical therapy to its marketplace, accessing rehabilitation services is now as easy as ordering a pair of shoes. This shift signifies a massive rise in public awareness of therapy services-but it also brings a new set of challenges for the independent practitioner.How do you compete with a global giant? How do you meet the "one-click" expectations of modern clients?In our 2026 "Starting an OT Practice" course, we dive into the complexities of launching and sustaining a practice in this high-tech, high-convenience era. We'll discuss why easy onboarding is no longer optional, how to leverage the latest AI tools to provide world-class care while run a lean and professional business, and how to position your clinical expertise as a high-value alternative to corporate healthcare.We are joined by Christopher Gaskins PhD, OTR/L, CSRS, who recently made the leap from "side-hustle" to full-ti

Travel therapy offers some of the highest compensation in rehab, yet it remains one of the most logistically challenging practice areas. Succeeding on the road requires a distinct mindset shift, balancing clinical flexibility with savvy career management.Whether you are eyeing your first contract or looking to refine your travel strategy, this course walks you through the essential day-to-day considerations of a nomadic career. We will dive into three overarching questions:Logistics: How do you strategically decide where to go next?Clinical Readiness: How do you prepare for the “sink or swim” demands of hopping between facilities?Empowerment: How do you ensure you are being paid fairly in a competitive industry?You’ll leave this session more confident in navigating the travel market and delivering high-quality care in any setting. Joining us is Laura Latimer, OTR/L, founder of Nomadicare. After discovering a massive pay gap in her own contracts, Laura transitioned from traveler to industry advocate. She is a

Most parents start their OT journey with a frantic Google search: “Does my child need OT?” Unfortunately, the answers they find are often buried in vague recommendations about “missing milestones.”In this one-hour course, former AOTA President and pediatric practice owner Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP explores how we can move beyond ambiguity. We’ll dive into actionable strategies for improving clarity and access, ensuring that therapists can empower parents and providers to connect children with the right services at the most critical times.See full course details here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/deciding-if-a-child-needs-otSee all OT CEU courses here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-coursesCheck our our live webinar schedule here:https://otpotential.com/live-ot-ceu-webinarsSupport the show by using the OTPOTENTIAL Medbridge Code:https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridgeTry 2 free OT Potential courses here:https://otpotential.com/free-ot-ceusSupport the show

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) remains the leading cause of non-traumatic disability in adults aged 18–65. Because of its prevalence and the vital role of therapy in management, it is a clinical area we return to often at OT Potential.We previously explored this topic through the inspiring lens of Dr. Sarah Adam, OTD, OTR/L—a professor and Paralympic medalist living with MS. In this upcoming one-hour course, we continue the conversation by diving into the latest evidence-based research through the lens of an outpatient neurological specialist.Joining us is Makeda N. Jackson, OTD, OTR/L, MSCS, a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist. Dr. Jackson will share her expert perspective on the clinical logistics of MS care, focusing on:Evidence-Based AssessmentTargeted InterventionPatient Education/ CoachingYou will walk away with practical, actionable knowledge. Plus, we are assembling a treatment guide for you to reference—synthesizing insights from this and our past conversations on MS—to help you provide the highest le

Why does therapy often feel undervalued by the systems we serve? To change the future of our professions, we must first understand the forces that shape today’s Medicare and private payer models—and ultimately, your reimbursement.In this session, we sit down with DPT and policy expert Dana Strauss to pull back the curtain on the reimbursement landscape. Together, we’ll explore why the current system prioritizes procedures over longitudinal care and, more importantly, identify the strategic levers we can pull to shift the needle.You’ll leave this course with a clear understanding of three concrete advocacy efforts we can rally around in 2026, and a practical roadmap for making them happen. Join us to turn frustration into informed action and help usher in a new era where the true value of therapy is recognized.Resources:Therapy Reimbursement Guide (https://otpotential.com/blog/therapy-reimbursement)Advocacy Playbook for OTs & PTs (https://otpotential.com/blog/therapy-advocacy-for-pt-and-ot)See full course

While the landscape of healthcare is shifting beneath our feet, the most tangible change in daily practice since the arrival of AI has been our documentation.Over the past two years, we have moved beyond the initial excitement of AI scribes and chat interfaces. As we look ahead to Therapy Documentation in 2026, the conversation is shifting from “how do we save time?” to “how can data and analytics help us in real-time?” We are entering an era where documentation is no longer a static record of the past, but a dynamic tool that augments our clinical reasoning and patient care.We are thrilled to welcome to the podcast Pedro Teixeira, MD, PhD. Dr. Teixeira is the co-founder of PredictionHealth (now part of Prompt Health) and a leading expert in using biomedical informatics to bring intelligent automation into the rehab workflow.In this episode, we’ll discuss:Industry-wide technology adoptionDocumentation KPIs and metricsEmerging clinical data dashboardsFuture-focused patient care visionSee full course details he

There is a foundational skillset essential to occupational therapy that often isn't covered in school: The ability to design a 60-minute session that is both clinically transformative and operationally sound.Bridging the gap between high-level evidence-like task-specific practice for stroke recovery-and the realities of billing codes and patient engagement is no small feat. It is this specific ability to structure "best practice" into a seamless, hour-long experience that separates the master clinician from the novice.In this 1 hour course, we sit down with Rachel Egan, OTR/L, CHT, COMT, a master clinician and rehab manager who understands this complexity firsthand. As an operational leader at NovaCare overseeing 13 clinics, Rachel balances the dual demands of high-quality patient care and administrative excellence.You'll leave this course ready to plan great OT sessions of your own.See full course details here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/how-to-plan-a-great-ot-sessionSee a

Occupational therapy in the NICU is one of the most specialized and sensitive practice areas in our profession. The transition from traditional clinical settings to the high-stakes, high-tech environment of neonatal care requires a fundamental shift in how we approach both assessment and intervention.Whether you are an OT looking to move into the NICU or a pediatric therapist wanting to better understand the early medical history of the infants on your caseload, this course will walk you through essential neuroprotective strategies that optimize long-term outcomes.You’ll leave more confident in navigating the complexities of neonatal care—from performing specialized assessments to implementing interventions that protect the developing brain. Joining us for this course is neonatal therapist and lactation consultant, Nicole Bazinet, MS, OTR/L, IBCLC, CNT, NTMTC who will share hard-earned advice from her years in this setting.In this course, we will cover:OT assessmentCommon interventionsPartnering with parentsY

Are you fully using the critical window of opportunity after stroke to support neuro-recovery during your OT sessions—or are you unintentionally devoting valuable rehab time to compensation?In today’s episode, we’re joined by Henry Hoffman to explore why prioritizing recovery—when possible—matters, and how occupational therapy professionals can more intentionally drive neuroplastic change after stroke.Together, we break down core principles that support recovery-oriented practice, including:Motor learning over compensationHigh-repetition, task-specific practiceSensory-rich feedback to shape movementWe also unpack emerging neuroscience from the past few years that supports this approach—and translate it into real-world practice. You’ll hear practical examples of what these principles can look like across education, assessment, and intervention, helping you reflect on how recovery-focused your current stroke practice truly is.Whether you work in inpatient rehab, outpatient neuro, home health, or education, this

Mental health is one of occupational therapy’s smallest practice areas.Because relatively few OTs work in traditional mental health settings, it can feel like an enigma:What does mental health OT actually look like day to day?Where do we fit on interdisciplinary teams?And how does occupation truly show up in mental health care?At the same time, there may be no better home for occupational therapy’s core values than mental health practice.In this course, Intro to Mental Health OT, we zoom out to ground you in the big picture—while also getting practical about what mental health OT looks like in real clinical contexts.We’ll be joined by a practicing occupational therapist and champion of the profession, Michelle Burlyga, OTR/L.Together, we’ll walk through:Common assessments used in mental health OTCore treatment approaches and intervention strategiesKey considerations for mental health practice that differ from other OT settingsWhy mental health competencies are increasingly essential—no matter where you practi

Through OT Potential, we’ve released more than 124 podcast episodes exploring the research, ideas, and conversations shaping occupational therapy. Each year, we pause to step back and ask a foundational question:What is occupational therapy—and how is it evolving?In this special episode to kick off 2026, we expand the conversation beyond research alone to include advocacy, technology, and the forces shaping OT practice and public perception.Joining us for this milestone conversation are two of the profession’s most influential leaders:Katie Jordan, CEO of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)Angela Macauley, PMP, CEO of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)Together, we explore:How occupational therapy practitioners can collaborate on advocacy efforts, particularly around reimbursement and sustainability of practiceHow the profession can more effectively communicate and market the value of OT to the public, referral partners, and policymakersHow emerging technologi

Research suggests that anywhere from 46% to 84% of autistic children experience selective eating. And the downstream risks are substantial: selective eating is linked with nutritional deficiencies, psychosocial impairment, and increased risk of developmental and psychiatric comorbidities, with severity tied to how persistent and restrictive the eating patterns become.In this OT Potential course, Britt St. John, PhD, MPH, OTR/L, joins us to break down what occupational therapy professionals need to understand—and do—when supporting autistic children with selective eating. We’ll begin with Britt’s story and key terminology (picky eating vs. selective eating vs. feeding disorders), then move into practical, evidence-based guidance for clinicians.Together, we’ll focus on three core areas:Assessment: How to identify the nature and severity of selective eating, including available OT assessments and red flags that should guide clinical decision making.Caregiver collaboration: How to partner with families in ways th

AI is going to reshape OT education—rapidly and profoundly. The real question is: How do we harness its strengths for good? How do we protect the parts of learning that are best done without it, while also leveraging AI in areas where our profession has historically struggled?One promising area is scenario-based learning, where AI can create realistic, dynamic situations that help learners practice clinical reasoning in a safe, supportive environment.In today’s one-hour webinar, we’re hosting a round-table conversation featuring:David Foster, PhD – learning theorist and AI learning-module creatorSarah Lyon, OTR/L – OT educator and continuing-education providerMelissa Kimmerling, EdD, OTR/L – OT program directorTogether, we’ll explore what’s possible in this new frontier, examine the concerns we must guard against, and—most importantly—answer your live questions about the future of AI in OT education.See full course details here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ai-in-educationSee all OT CEU courses

For many of us, payer negotiations feel distant—something handled “somewhere up the chain,” far removed from the day-to-day work of helping patients. But here’s the truth: nothing shapes our practice more than the reimbursement rates and contracts negotiated on our behalf.Reimbursement determines who we can serve, how much time we can spend with them, what services we can sustainably provide, and ultimately whether our practice can survive/thrive. And while therapists may assume this is a job for billing or leadership, every OT and PT needs a foundational understanding of how payer negotiations work.In this one-hour webinar, we’re joined by two leaders with deep, real-world expertise:John Hutchinson, MBA — Co-founder of CARE Counseling (with his wife, Dr. Andrea Hutchinson), a practice acquired by UnitedHealth in 2024. John brings firsthand experience navigating growth, payer relationships, and the business realities that shape modern care.Chad Herzog — VP of Operations at Aroris, an organization whose missio

We, at OT Potential, keep hearing stories of more and more OTs teaming up with optometrists to provide vision remediation interventions. (Vision remediation focuses on retraining the eye and brain connection. This is in contrast to low vision therapy, which focuses on compensation and adapting the environment to  maximize remaining vision.)The need is clear: occupational therapy can provide needed interventions for those with diagnosed visual inefficiencies from such things as acquired brain injury, or even developmentally — but the number of OTs with this training is not keeping pace with the need. But, what does it take to fill this gap? On today’s 1 hour webinar we are lucky to have one OT, Alicia Reiser OTD, who has built a private practice around this need. We’ll learn about the special training she pursued, how she forged relationships with local ODs, and most importantly the difference she is able to make in the lives of her clients. Support the show

OTs and PTs compete in many ways. We can be found competing over:Patient timeWho gets to bill which code on which dayRecognition And scope of practiceBut, as looming outside forces like AI and decreasing reimbursement rates threaten our professions, it is critical to change our postures toward interprofessional collaboration. And, there is no PT I would rather talk about this with than Rebeca Segraves. Rebeca has hard won insight as she has sought to embed our professions more fully into maternal healthcare. In this one hour webinar, we’ll talk about the latest research on interprofessional collaboration, and what this can look like on the individual, systems and national level.Support the show

One year ago, we released an OT Potential Podcast episode exploring what AI could conceptually mean for clinical decision support.Fast forward to today—and AI chats have become a regular part of the decision-making process for many healthcare providers. In fact, OpenEvidence now reports that 40% of U.S. physicians use their platform daily.At OT Potential, we recently launched our own AI chat and learned a great deal in the process.The world of knowledge translation is changing at an incredible pace. It feels more important than ever to pause and ask: What critical questions should we be asking to harness this technology? What are the strengths of chat-based tools as they currently exist? What are their vulnerabilities? And how can we move forward strategically?We are incredibly lucky to be joined for this one-hour CEU webinar by Jen Weaver, PhD, OTR/L, a leading voice in knowledge translation within occupational therapy. Together, Jen and I will discuss what these rapid changes mean for you and your OT practi

Occupational therapy assistants are the bedrock of treatment provision in many OT departments throughout the country.In fact, In large rural SNFs, around  58% of OT staffing minutes are by OTAs.And, in rural and underserved communities, about 48% of all Medicare outpatient therapy services are provided by OTAs.But, not enough continuing education has been geared towards the unique challenges and opportunities within this profession. That’s why I’m so thankful to begin a new annual series on Hot Topics for OTAs, with our first guest, Amy Mahle Ed.D., COTA/L, ROH. Amy and I will discuss the hot topics that are top of mind headed into 2026:  from changing reimbursement to the OTA pipeline, to new technologies at the point of care. This course is perfect for both occupational therapy assistants, and occupational therapists who are curious to learn more about our closest colleagues. Support the show