OTHA 2335 - Health Care Management in Occupational Therapy

State Approval Code
51.0803
Alternate Operations During Campus Closure

In the event of an emergency or announced campus closure due to a natural disaster or pandemic, it may be necessary for Panola College to move to altered operations. During this time, Panola College may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include, but are not limited to: online learning management system (CANVAS), online conferencing, email messaging, and/or an alternate schedule. It is the responsibility of the student to monitor Panola College's website (www.panola.edu) for instructions about continuing courses remotely, CANVAS for each class for course-specific communication, and Panola College email for important general information.

Class Attendance

Regular and punctual attendance of classes and laboratories is required of all students. When a student has been ill or absent from class for approved extracurricular activities, he or she should be allowed, as far as possible, to make up for the missed work. If a student has not actively participated by the census date, they will be dropped by the instructor for non-attendance. This policy applies to courses that are in-person, online, hybrid, and hyflex.

Attendance in online courses is determined by submission of an assignment or participation in an activity. According to federal guidelines, simply logging into a distance learning course without participating in an academic assignment does not constitute attendance. Distance learning is defined as when a majority (more than 50%) of instruction occurs when the instructor and students are in separate physical locations. Students must engage in an academic activity prior to the course census date. 

When an instructor feels that a student has been absent to such a degree as to invalidate the learning experience, the instructor may recommend to the Vice President of Instruction that the student be withdrawn from the course. Instructors may seek to withdraw students for non-attendance after they have accumulated the following number of absences: 

Fall or spring semesters: 

3 or more class meeting times per week - 5 absences

2 class meeting times per week - 3 absences

1 class meeting per week -  2 absences

The student is responsible for seeing that he or she has been officially withdrawn from a class. A student who stops attendance in a class without officially withdrawing from that class will be given a failing grade; consequently, the student must follow official withdrawal procedures in the Admissions/Records Office.

Please note: Health Science and Cosmetology courses may require more stringent attendance policies based on their accreditation agencies. Please see the addendum and/or program handbook for further information concerning attendance.  

Pregnant/Parenting Policy

Panola College welcomes pregnant and parenting students as a part of the student body. This institution is committed to providing support and adaptations for a successful educational experience for pregnant and parenting students. Students experiencing a need for accommodations related to pregnancy or parenting will find a Pregnancy and Parenting Accommodations Request form in the Student Handbook or may request the form from the course instructor.

Instructional Goals and Purposes

Delineate the roles of the occupational therapy personnel; demonstrate legal, and documentation skills; give examples of reimbursement systems; articulate the requirements for certification and licensure; explain quality assurance; apply ethical standards in practice; summarize the roles of the health care team, and differentiate levels of supervision.

Learning Outcomes
  1. Delineate the roles of the occupational therapy personnel.
  2. Define and demonstrate legal documentation required by Texas and national law.
  3. Give examples of reimbursement systems.
  4. Articulate the requirements for certification and licensure.
  5. Participate in data collection, analysis, and application for quality improvement/quality assurance.
  6. Apply ethical standards in practice.
  7. Summarize the roles of the health care team.
  8. Differentiate levels of OT supervision.
Specific Course Objectives (includes SCANS)

After studying the material presented in the texts, lectures, class discussions, Canvas assignments, and other resources, the student should be able to master all learning objectives listed below with a minimum competency of 75%.

  1. B.4.15. Technology in Practice - Demonstrate knowledge of the use of technology in practice, which must include: * Electronic documentation systems * Virtual environments * Telehealth technology
  2. B.4.29. Reimbursement Systems and Documentation - Demonstrate knowledge of various reimbursement systems and funding mechanisms (e.g., federal, state, third party, private payer) have treatment/diagnosis codes (e.g., CPT®, ICD, DSM® codes), and coding and documentation requirements that affect consumers and the practice of occupational therapy. Documentation must effectively communicate the need and rationale for occupational therapy services
  3. B.5.1. Factors, Policy Issues, and Social Systems - Identify and explain the contextual factors; current policy issues; and socioeconomic, political, geographic, and demographic factors on the delivery of occupational therapy services for persons, groups, and populations and social systems as they relate to the practice of occupational therapy.
  4. B.5.2. Advocacy - Explain the role and responsibility of the practitioner to advocate for changes in service delivery policies, effect changes in the system, recognize opportunities in emerging practice areas, and advocate for opportunities to expand the occupational therapy assistant’s role.
  5. B.5.3. Business Aspects of Practice - Explain an understanding of the business aspects of practice including, but not limited to, financial management, billing, and coding.
  6. B.5.4. Systems and Structures That Create Legislation - Define the systems and structures that create federal and state legislation and regulations, and their implications and effects on persons, groups, and populations, as well as practice.
  7. B.5.5. Requirements for Credentialing and Licensure - Provide care and programs that demonstrate knowledge of applicable national requirements for credentialing and requirements for licensure have certification, or registration consistent with federal and state laws.
  8. B.5.7. Quality Management and Improvement - Participate in the documentation of ongoing processes for quality management and improvement (e.g., outcome studies analysis and client engagement surveys) and implement program changes as needed to demonstrate quality of services.
  9. B.7.1 Ethical Decision Making - Demonstrate knowledge of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics and AOTA Standards of Practice and use them as a guide for ethical decision making in professional interactions, client interventions, employment settings, and when confronted with personal and organizational ethical conflicts.
  10. B.7.2. Professional Engagement - Demonstrate knowledge of how the role of a professional is enhanced by participating and engaging in local, national, and international leadership positions in organizations or agencies.
  11. B.7.3. Promote Occupational Therapy - Promote occupational therapy by educating other professionals, service providers, consumers, third-party payers, regulatory bodies, and the public.
  12. B.7.4. Ongoing Professional Development - Identify and develop strategies for ongoing professional development to ensure that practice is consistent with current and accepted standards.
  13. B.7.5. Personal and Professional Responsibilities - Demonstrate knowledge of personal and professional responsibilities related to: * Liability issues under current models of service provision.
    *Varied roles of the occupational therapy assistant providing service on a contractual basis.
SCANS SCANS
Basic Skill Competencies Workplace Competencies
A. i, ii, iii, iv, v A. i, iii, iv,
B. i, ii, iii, v B. i, ii, iv
C. I, iii, C. i,ii,iii,iv
  D. iii
Course Content

A general description of lecture/discussion topics included in this course are listed in the Learning Objectives/Specific Course Objectives sections of this syllabus.

Students in all sections of this course will be required to do the following:

  1. Understand and comply with all instructional policies and procedures in the most current Panola College OTA Student Policy Manual and The Pathfinder.
  2. Have access to a computer with high-speed internet service, printer, and scanning device with necessary compatible software for course content retrieval and document submissions.

It is the student’s responsibility to understand and comply with all instructional policies and procedures in the most current Panola College OTA Student Policy Manual (attendance, assignment submission, makeup exams have professional and ethical behaviors, and others).

Methods of Instruction/Course Format/Delivery

This course is offered in a face-to-face, Web-enhanced format. Course material will be presented in a variety of formats. Pre-class assignments may include text readings, AOTA Website readings, and videos. Students will be expected to discuss and apply pre-class assignment materials. Both in-class and online discussions will be required.

Other
SCANS Criteria
  1. Foundation skills are defined in three areas: basic skills, thinking skills, and personal qualities.
    1. Basic Skills: A worker must read, write, perform arithmetic and mathematical operations, listen, and speak effectively. These skills include:
      1. Reading: locate, understand, and interpret written information in prose and in documents such as manuals, graphs, and schedules.
      2. Writing: communicate thoughts, ideas, information, and messages in writing, and create documents such as letters, directions, manuals, reports, graphs, and flow charts. 
      3. Arithmetic and Mathematical Operations: perform basic computations and approach practical problems by choosing appropriately from a variety of mathematical techniques.
      4. Listening: receive, attend to, interpret, and respond to verbal messages and other cues.
      5. Speaking: Organize ideas and communicate orally.
    2. Thinking Skills: A worker must think creatively, make decisions, solve problems, visualize, know how to learn, and reason effectively. These skills include:
      1. Creative Thinking: generate new ideas.
      2. Decision Making: specify goals and constraints, generate alternatives, consider risks, and evaluate and choose the best alternative.
      3. Problem Solving: recognize problems and devise and implement plan of action.
      4. Visualize ("Seeing Things in the Mind's Eye"): organize and process symbols, pictures, graphs, objects, and other information.
      5. Knowing How to Learn: use efficient learning techniques to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills.
      6. Reasoning: discover a rule or principle underlying the relationship between two or more objects and apply it when solving a problem.
    3. Personal Qualities: A worker must display responsibility, self-esteem, sociability, self management, integrity, and honesty.
      1. Responsibility: exert a high level of effort and persevere toward goal attainment.
      2. Self-Esteem: believe in one's own self-worth and maintain a positive view of oneself.
      3. Sociability: demonstrate understanding, friendliness, adaptability, empathy, and politeness in group settings.
      4. Self-Management: assess oneself accurately, set personal goals, monitor progress, and exhibit self-control.
      5. Integrity and Honesty: choose ethical courses of action.
  2. Workplace competencies are defined in five areas: resources, interpersonal skills, information, systems, and technology.
    1. Resources: A worker must identify, organize, plan, and allocate resources effectively.
      1. Time: select goal-relevant activities, rank them, allocate time, and prepare and follow schedules.
      2. Money: Use or prepare budgets, make forecasts, keep records, and make adjustments to meet objectives.
      3. Material and Facilities: Acquire, store, allocate, and use materials or space efficiently. Examples: construct a decision timeline chart; use computer software to plan a project; prepare a budget; conduct a cost/benefits analysis; design an RFP process; write a job description; develop a staffing plan.
    2. Interpersonal Skills: A worker must work with others effectively.
      1. Participate as a Member of a Team: contribute to group effort.
      2. Teach Others New Skills.
      3. Serve Clients/Customers: work to satisfy customer's expectations.
      4. Exercise Leadership: communicate ideas to justify position, persuade and convince others, responsibly challenge existing procedures and policies.
      5. Negotiate: work toward agreements involving exchange of resources, resolve divergent interests.
      6. Work with Diversity: work well with men and women from diverse backgrounds. Examples: collaborate with a group member to solve a problem; work through a group conflict situation, train a colleague; deal with a dissatisfied customer in person; select and use appropriate leadership styles; use effective delegation techniques; conduct an individual or team negotiation; demonstrate an understanding of how people from different cultural backgrounds might behave in various situations.
    3. Information: A worker must be able to acquire and use information.
      1. Acquire and Evaluate Information.
      2. Organize and Maintain Information.
      3. Interpret and Communicate Information.
      4. Use Computers to Process Information. Examples: research and collect data from various sources; develop a form to collect data; develop an inventory record-keeping system; produce a report using graphics; make an oral presentation using various media; use on-line computer databases to research a report; use a computer spreadsheet to develop a budget.
    4. Systems: A worker must understand complex interrelationships.
      1. Understand Systems: know how social, organizational, and technological systems work and operate effectively with them.
      2. Monitor and Correct Performance: distinguish trends, predict impacts on system operations, diagnose deviations in systems' performance and correct malfunctions.
      3. Improve or Design Systems: suggest modifications to existing systems and develop new or alternative systems to improve performance. Examples: draw and interpret an organizational chart; develop a monitoring process; choose a situation needing improvement, break it down, examine it, propose an improvement, and implement it.
    5. Technology: A worker must be able to work with a variety of technologies.
      1. Select Technology: choose procedures, tools or equipment including computers and related technologies.
      2. Apply Technologies to Task: understand overall intent and proper procedures for setup and operation of equipment.
      3. Maintain and Troubleshoot Equipment: Prevent, identify, or solve problems with equipment, including computers and other technologies. Examples: read equipment descriptions and technical specifications to select equipment to meet needs; set up and assemble appropriate equipment from instructions; read and follow directions for troubleshooting and repairing equipment.