Occupational therapy practice in oncology care: Results from a survey

The everyday landscape of occupational therapy (OT) in oncology is underexplored, hindering targeted improvements. The purpose of the present study was to identify the OT interventions commonly provided and reimbursed in oncology. A survey utilizing snowball sampling was disseminated online to OT wo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNursing & health sciences Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 164 - 170
Main Authors Stein Duker, Leah I., Sleight, Alix G.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Melbourne John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 01.06.2019
Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Subjects
Activities of daily living
Cancer
Caregivers
Charges
Cognitive impairment
Fatigue
Lifestyles
Occupational therapy
Oncology
Personal safety
Physical disabilities
Polls & surveys
Professional practice
professional role
Psychosocial factors
Psychosocial intervention
Quality of life
rehabilitation
Self-advocacy
Snowball sampling
Social support
Strength
Therapists
USA
United States > US
professional role
USA
rehabilitation
cancer
occupational therapy
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Summary:The everyday landscape of occupational therapy (OT) in oncology is underexplored, hindering targeted improvements. The purpose of the present study was to identify the OT interventions commonly provided and reimbursed in oncology. A survey utilizing snowball sampling was disseminated online to OT working in oncology care; 167 surveys were received from 21 states in the United States. Results found that over 90% of therapists reported focusing on physical impairment, weakness, fatigue, and activities of daily living. Interventions for emotional/social support, self‐advocacy, quality of life, lifestyle management, and cognitive impairment were not directly billed. More than 90% of therapists reported that, in the absence of barriers, they would address quality of life, emotional difficulties, lifestyle management, and home safety. Overall, the findings suggested that OT in the United States primarily provide physical interventions for oncology patients. However, they also provide psychosocial services and client/caregiver education, but often do not bill directly for this care. Reimbursement structures should be modified to allow for the direct billing of mental/psychosocial and educational interventions in OT for cancer care.
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Author Contributions
LISD contributed to study design, data collection and analysis, and manuscript writing. AGS contributed to study design and manuscript writing.
ISSN:1441-0745
1442-2018
DOI:10.1111/nhs.12576