Calling all Generalist Occupational Therapy Practitioners: Start Your Own OT Driving Risk Assessment Program
The OT Driving Risk Assessment is quickly becoming the next big trend in healthcare.
This is a reimbursable service covered by the trained occupational therapy practitioner and it is easily integrated into the standard OT evaluation or the current plan of care. The goal is to help identify the patient’s driving risk & potential, provide OT interventions to maximize recovery, and then refer to an OT-DRS when the patient is ready for the specialist. Think of the OT Driving Risk Assessment as the screen – like for vision, cavity, or even cancer. With the OT Driving Risk Assessment, the OT generalist leads the conversation and guides the patient to the right resources.
So what is an OT Driving Risk Assessment Program? It is…
- An occupational therapy, clinic-based, assessment program – like a fall prevention assessment program.
- This assessment allows the OT to identify risk & potential for driving, provide interventions to optimize recovery, & facilitate referrals to an OT-DRS for a comprehensive driving evaluation.
- This is an innovative & emerging practice area for occupational therapy practitioners!
- It is COVID friendly – The training is online & your program can be run wearing PPE in your clinic.
- No car needed!
- No additional orders are needed!
- It is a covered OT service!
- This program is easy to integrate into any setting!
- In any country!
- This is not a comprehensive driving evaluation, but rather a program for screening risk & potential, identifying interventions to support your patient’s recovery, & referrals to an OT driver rehabilitation specialist (OT-DRS).
4 Easy Steps to Starting Your Own Driving Risk Assessment Program
- Take Part 1 In the Clinic: Building Blocks to sharpen your OT assessment skills. (The cost of this education is covered in 4-5 OT sessions, making it easy & affordable!)
- Find & establish a relationship with your local OT-DRS.
- Update any resources & systems (like documentation) to support your new program.
- Share your program on the AOTA Driving Directory & with your various referral sources.
Key Points
- A Driving Risk Assessment is an occupational therapy, clinic-based, assessment program.
- It is NOT a comprehensive driving evaluation.
- This assessment allows the OT to identify risk & potential for driving, provide interventions to optimize recovery, & facilitate referrals to an OT-DRS for a comprehensive driving evaluation.
- This is huge! Identifying driving risk will help you prepare your patients for the task of driving & will give them the chance to recover, rehabilitate, & sharpen all of their skills before being seen by a specialist.
- No car needed!
- This is an emerging practice area!
Don’t Forget!
- It is important to pair your program with your local OT-DRS. Find your local driver rehabilitation specialist through AOTA & ADED directories. Develop a relationship to support referrals.
- For patient’s already on caseload, update the plan of care to include driving & community mobility needs. Billing may include occupational therapy intervention codes. Always remember to follow your local coverage determination codes & process.
- For new referrals, obtain an order for “OT Evaluation & treatment.” The reason for referral may be driving concerns or driving risk. Billing may include OT evaluation & treatment codes.
Please remember, being in a moving vehicle requires the advanced skills, training, equipment, & liability coverage of an OT-DRS.
Ready to become an OT-DRS? The driving risk assessment training is your first step. Learn more on the 3 part process to become an OT-DRS.
Thinking about your own private practice? Read how starting her own private practice saved Susie’s love for OT!
Start your OT Driving Risk Assessment today! Enroll with Part 1 In the Clinic: Building Blocks.
