Elizabeth is 82 years old and has vision loss. She was experiencing a general decline in her health and had been in and out of the hospital several times. On her last visit to the hospital, she was seen by an occupational therapist. Elizabeth's occupational therapist assessed her needs for support at home and referred her to an OT in the community.
A recent study by Johns Hopkins University identified that occupational therapy was the only category of health care spending within hospitals that resulted in reduced hospitalization readmission rates. This is because occupational therapy's focus is on assessing whether a client can be discharged safely, and addressing potential barriers in the home and community environments.
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists estimates that occupational therapist services result in avoidance of unnecessary hospital admission and/or reduced hospital stays, saving an average of $15 million annually.