It’s no secret that I believe occupation therapy is entering its prevention era. 

We are starting to leverage our skillset not after a terrible health incident has occurred, but at the first sign of trouble. 

As I imagine this not-too-distant reality, there is one deeply personal area that I am so eager to see us shift our energy toward: 

Cancer prevention. 

Across the healthcare community, we are learning more and more about the specific lifestyle and environmental factors that put people at a higher risk for cancer. Case in point: My own county in rural Nebraska, where above-average pediatric cancer rates have been associated with high levels of nitrates in our water.

On today’s podcast, we are lucky to be joined by Dr. Jesse E. Bell, one of the world’s leading experts on water and human health and the Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Water, Climate, and Health in the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health.

Dr. Bell—who also is the author of the paper we will discuss during this episode—will help us understand where the science stands on the connection between nitrates and multiple health conditions. We’ll talk through ways the medical community can provide education on these risks—as well as the simple solutions OTs could potentially bring to high-risk families to help address this basic ADL safety concern. 

This episode is meant to highlight the cutting edge of what’s becoming possible—where new large datasets on environmental health risks converge with new opportunities in value-based care to create pathways for OTs to intervene earlier than we ever thought possible.

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Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming healthcare—and pediatric occupational therapy is no exception.

This course aims to spark your imagination about AI’s potential to strengthen how we support child development. From enhancing your assessments with rich data to making interventions more accessible, AI holds promise for both clinicians and families. This course offers insights into how these innovations are beginning to reshape early childhood developmental support.

In this OT Potential Podcast episode, we welcome Mati Kochavi, founder of Korro AI, to explore the opportunities and challenges of applying AI to your therapy practice. You’ll learn how AI can complement clinical judgment and data tracking, improve the accuracy of milestone monitoring, and provide real-time support for families.

By the end of the course, you’ll have a grounded understanding of AI’s potential in positively supporting child development—and the practical and ethical considerations that therapists must weigh as these tools move into practice. 

Whether you are cautiously curious or already excited about integrating AI into your pediatric work, this course will equip you with the knowledge you need to engage confidently with these innovations.

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School-based OTs is one of occupational therapy’s most distinct practice areas. The style of practice and the systems you work within, all take a mindset shift. 

Whether you just landed your first school OT job or are a seasoned professional looking to refine how you manage your days, this course will walk you through essential day to day considerations. 

You’ll leave more confident about organizing your time, and delivering high-quality care to your students. 

Joining us will be returning guest, Bryden Giving. Bryden successfully survived  the shift from outpatient OT to school based practice, several years ago and we have so much to learn from him. He is also the editor of the forthcoming book Neurodiversity-Affirming Occupational Therapy. 

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When you adjust for inflation, OT and PT reimbursement is down around 40% since 2002 on our key CPT codes. 

Now the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule has ANOTHER cut to OT written in pencil. We simply cannot sustain continued cuts to the value of our services. 

So, we clearly need to reconsider our advocacy approach and identify key opportunities to help influence meaningful change.. 

At OT Potential we are equipping YOU to raise your voice. We are going to spend an hour diving deep into the relevant parts of the new proposed rule, so you can understand the challenges and opportunities. We’ll be led by The incredible Dana Strauss, a doctor of physical therapy and healthcare public policy expert.

We’ll share the comment letter that OT Potential has drafted to share with CMS, so you have a template to work from  by the deadline on Sept. 12th.

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OT reimbursement from traditional models is on the decline, while the need for OT services on the rises

Thus, entering into private practice is an important avenue for OTs to consider. 

But, with this comes all kinds of legal considerations. 

In the first part of this two part series, we talked about choosing a legal entity, working with your full scope of practice as laid out by your licensure laws, and navigating Medicare covered services. 

Now in part two, we are getting into more considerations from navigating anti-trust, Stark Law, anti-kickback, to monopolization laws. 

This is truly information that all OTs need to be savvy about (whether or not you run a business.) 

We’ll welcome back two returning podcast guests, Monika Lukasiewicz, OTR/L (who is looking to start her practice) and Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP (a pediatric occupational therapist/private practice owner, who also has a degree in health law.) 

This is live webinar! So we answer listener questions at the end! Please note, we cannot give legal advice during this time—but, we do want to help equip you to understand these basic legal considerations- so you can run (or at least be part of) a sound, profitable business. 

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Unfortunately, rates of cancer have been on the rise for young adults in multiple cancer types—including breast, pancreatic, and gastric cancers.

Cancer rehab for these individuals introduces multiple special considerations given their age and life stage. 

In this one hour webinar, we will use our clinical decision support page to walk through assessment, goal-setting and treatment for adolescents and young adults with cancer.

We’ll be hearing from Vanessa Monique Yanez, PhD, MSOT, OTR/L. Vanessa is  an occupational therapist specializing in cancer rehabilitation—she is also herself a cancer survivor.

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While many therapists dream of private practice, the risk of hitting a legal landmine holds many back. 

In this episode, we are going to zoom in on one OT who is looking to partner with a doctor who is providing concierge dementia services. 

We’ll use this as a case example to talk through what legal considerations OTs need to make when starting a practice: from choosing the right legal entity, to partnering with a specific provider, to navigating Medicare, to understanding anti-trust and anti-kick back laws. 

Yes. We are getting in the weeds. But, this is essential. 

We’ll welcome back two returning podcast guests,  Monika Lukasiewicz, OTR/L (who is looking to start her practice) and Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP (a pediatric occupational therapist/private practice owner, who also has a degree in health law.) 

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/legal-considerations-for-ot

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Here’s a question I can’t stop thinking about: 

Is “sense of purpose” the true secret ingredient that makes occupational therapy unique and effective? 

I ran a survey of my OT peers earlier this year, and I was shocked that 17% of respondents selected “sense of purpose” as the main treatment area they address—second only to “daily activities,” which is what I traditionally think of as our bread and butter. 

This tells me that, on the ground, a surprising number of therapists see “addressing sense of purpose” as their most effective intervention. 

The article we are looking at today reveals why sense of purpose may be such a profound lever to pull. (Hint: It is associated with many health benefits!) 

After we review the article, we are excited to welcome to the podcast one of occupational therapy’s leading thinkers about our role in sense of purpose: Dr. Alix Sleight. Together, we’ll unpack the science behind sense of purpose—and the small and large ways you can address it in your OT sessions. 

You can find more details on this course here:

https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-and-purpose

Support this show by using the The OT Potential Medbridge promo code (code: OTPSummer) which gives you the BEST discount available. The code will be active June 23-July 9th, 2025. You’ll get the best savings possible of $126 off individual plans and 10% off group plans. Learn more here: 

https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

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You know that sinking feeling you get before walking into a patient room, when you suddenly think: 

“Wait.. what exactly am I going to do with this patient?” 

Creating a treatment plan entails a complex synthesis of the patient’s needs, the available evidence, and your expertise. It’s no wonder it can be hard to pull all this information together on the spot. 

So, it’s easy to see why therapists are starting to utilize AI tools as a brainstorming assist for treatment planning. 

But, this also raises SO MANY questions. Which tools should I trust? What are the limitations? What are the ethical considerations? 

In this webinar, we are talking with a practicing PT, Cody Lee,  about the benefits he has found from using AI as a treatment planning companion. And, practical ways you can get started doing the same, so you can begin riding this wave that is going to transform healthcare. 

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ai-and-treatment-planning

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Far too often, people are not referred to occupational therapy until their disease course has progressed to a level of high complexity.

But, what if we could start seeing our clients sooner? 

Ideally, we receive the referral at the first sign of trouble. In some cases, we could prevent the full expression of a condition. In other cases, we could work with the client so their condition presents in a less severe way. These services are low cost and high impact. 

While it feels obvious that this is the direction we should be heading, there are policy, payment and mindset barriers to overcome. 

In this one hour live discussion Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP and Sarah Lyon, OTR/L will discuss the practical steps we can be taking to shift our care towards prevention. Our goal is that you will leave inspired to take steps in your own context. 

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/occupational-therapy-and-prevention 

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