Emerging Trends in Occupational Therapy: Navigating the Future

A comprehensive set of Q&A flashcards covering the core concepts from the lecture notes on emerging trends, policy, technology, and practice in occupational therapy.

What defines Emerging Trends in Occupational Therapy?

New developments in healthcare, technology, or society actively reshaping how OTs deliver services, where they work, and whom they serve.

Give two examples of Emerging Trends in Healthcare and OT contexts.

Healthcare: value-based care and telehealth expansion; OT: VR rehabilitation and community-based disaster response.

What is the key point about Emerging Trends in OT?

They’re shifts with tangible impacts on practice right now, not just new ideas.

Name two drivers of change that require tech literacy for OT.

Rapid tech advancements (telehealth platforms, AI documentation tools) and healthcare policy shifts (value-based care) needing tech literacy.

What demographic change increases demand for gerontology expertise in OT?

An aging population.

How do societal crises affect OT practice?

They raise demand for OTs in community resilience roles during pandemics and climate-related disasters.

What is the Old Model of OT practice?

Rehabilitation-focused, clinic/hospital-based, for physical disabilities with direct 1:1 care.

What is the New Model of OT practice?

Prevention and wellness across settings like schools, workplaces, disaster zones, and digital spaces (e.g., telerehab for long COVID).

Name a key technology reshaping OT service delivery.

Telehealth and remote monitoring.

What does AI & Data Analytics enable in OT practice?

Personalized interventions, predictive outcomes, and optimized resource allocation.

Give an example of wearables in OT.

Real-time ADL/IADL data and gait or fatigue monitoring from sensors.

What is the impact of VR/AR & Robotics in OT?

Revolutionizes rehabilitation, mental health treatment, and skill acquisition.

What is Value-Based Care in OT policy?

Payment tied to client outcomes and functional gains, not just the number of sessions.

What tool measures client-perceived outcomes in OT practice?

PROMs (e.g., COPM, FIM) used to demonstrate functional changes.

What is Integrated Care & IPC in OT?

OTs collaborating with nurses, social workers, and physicians in shared care teams, especially in primary care.

What is Population Health management in OT?

Prevention, health promotion, and wellness coaching addressing social determinants of health.

Name two non-traditional OT practice pathways.

Tech startups/UX accessibility, private practice entrepreneurship, and consulting (disaster management, population health).

What is Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) in OT?

A core framework recognizing and addressing trauma across practice settings to support mental health and psychosocial well-being.

What are OT’s three irreplaceable superpowers?

Holism, Occupation, and Adaptability.

What is the Therapeutic Use of Self in OT?

Empathy, communication, and relationship-building as core therapeutic tools.

What action helps students build future readiness in OT?

Track one driver this month (e.g., AI in rehab) and shadow a community health OT or read about AI in rehab.

What is OT’s role in disaster management?

OTs contribute across the disaster cycle—preparedness, response, and recovery—and link to population health and social determinants of health post-disaster.