Occupational Therapy Functional Assessment
Functional Assessment Occupational Therapy is a process by which a healthcare professional evaluates a person’s functional ability to perform a specific activity. This type of assessment can help determine whether a patient’s condition is stable and can be treated with simple modifications or if it requires more intensive treatment. Communication and social interactions pervade all activity categoriesFunctional Assessment Occupational Therapy owes its name to the fine art of patient care and management. Its scope spans the gamut from IADL to medication management. As such, it’s no surprise that it’s the functional assessment specialist‘s best friend. As the horizons expand, so does the OT’s reach. Fortunately, it’s not the only OT therapist toiling away in the trenches. With the advent of the internet, new ways of assessing patients appear every day. Technology advancements have made the process more efficient and accessible. The advent of virtual reality may hold the key to future OT assessment success. Using a low-bandwidth internet connection, Dreyer and colleagues were able to transmit video images of patients undergoing a number of transfer tasks. They then used the same telecommunications technology to display the images to the second therapist, who was unable to view the videos himself. The resulting collaboration produced some impressive results, namely, a more accurate assessment of patient functional abilities and an agnostic understanding of the patient’s needs. Hand and wrist injuries are a leading cause of limited participation in daily activities by patients with chronic diseases. Approximately 20% of emergency department visits are for hand and wrist injuries. Injuries such as sprains, dislocations, and fractures are common. They are usually diagnosed with radiography. However, radiography can only provide a definitive diagnosis at the initial evaluation. It is important to identify these injuries for optimal treatment. Injuries to the wrist are often due to sudden impacts. This includes a fall onto an outstretched hand (FOOSH). FOOSH injuries are often caused by athletes participating in sports that involve high contact. Symptoms may include bruising, swelling, and pain. A severe FOOSH injury requires emergency treatment. Common wrist injuries include sprains, dislocations, fractures, and avulsions. Avulsions are common in radiology practice. Avulsions occur because of the complex anatomy and interconnections of the hand. Avulsion injuries can be treated with external splinting or open surgical fixation. The treatment for these injuries depends on the severity of the injury. Common traumatic injuries in athletes include muscle strains, joint dislocations, and tendon inflammation. In addition, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can also occur in the wrist. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the body’s normal tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis can occur in the joints between the ulna and the radius, the metacarpals, or the fingers.
