Promoting Health Equity in Occupational Therapy Practice

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As I reflect on Professor Flick's presentation about health equity and social determinants of health, I am humbled to realize how privileged I am to read at a high level, to have a general knowledge of health lingo (thanks to my mother, a nurse), and the confidence to ask my healthcare providers questions (thanks, higher education and life experience). I learned that this luxury is not shared by all. In fact, communicating with health professionals and even attending routine appointments can be daunting for many people. I realized that being a sensitive, culturally-responsive, and equitable healthcare provider will take more effort and consideration than I ever thought.

I now know that I have to be just as vulnerable as my patients and clients. I have to be sensitive enough to recognize that a client might need instructions read to them, or audio-visual aids presented to them in order for understanding about therapy to be attained. This bears the risk of insulting people who feel that they are more than competent to manage their health-plan. Thus, the attitude I maintain and the message I articulate is crucial for effective communication and a trusting client-therapist relationship. Despite the difficulty of gracefully providing fair and effective healthcare, I am encouraged that OT's around the world are accomplishing this and more.

Professor Flick presented research that showed that higher hospital spending on OT is associated with lower readmission rates. I believe this is because of OT's unique ability to meet people where they are. They provide the equipment, the skills, the motivation, and the encouragement for clients to engage in their beloved occupations at home, at school, at work-- everywhere. Rather than leading the client to dependence on the therapist, occupational therapists promote independence in all clients through proper education and change-facilitation. After all, it's not in the therapy gym or clinic where true change occurs. It's in the client's space where they take the wings that OT gives them, and they fly.

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