Using an interprofessional team in primary care has the potential to reduce physician workload, improve job satisfaction, and decrease burnout. Although the use of team-based care models is increasing, there is no standardization regarding which professionals should be on the team. As a result, some potentially useful team members, such as occupational therapists (OTs), are often overlooked.

When OTs are added to a health care team, they can help address issues that do not require the skill set of a physician, increasing the availability of physicians for patients who require complex medical decision making.^1,2 OTs' education and training in mental/behavioral health, medical conditions, rehabilitation, and lifestyle management make them versatile members of the primary care team.^2–4 OTs have a unique lens, viewing patients in the context of their environment, including their family role, employment, culture, and value system, as well as the habits, roles, and routines that comprise their daily lives.

A growing body of evidence supports the value and effectiveness of occupational therapy in primary care.^1–4 Despite the benefits of including OTs on a primary care team, key barriers have been a lack of awareness of the full skill set OTs can contribute to the team and concerns about reimbursement for their services.

Our organization, Mayo Clinic of Arizona, piloted the use of an OT in a family medicine practice. This article shares our analysis of the pilot in an effort to address key barriers and help other practices assess whether their care teams could benefit from having an OT.

OT EDUCATION AND TRAINING

The OT profession traces its roots to World War I, when the providers who would ultimately become OTs treated soldiers for their physical and psychological injuries. The OT profession has evolved over the years, expanding into multiple settings, but the foundational goal persists: improving physical and mental health function through the therapeutic use of “occupations” or everyday activities that are meaningful to the patient. OTs use a holistic approach to promote health, wellness, and prevention for people across the lifespan who experience injury, illness, and disability. OTs are trained to identify and address the physical, mental, and behavioral barriers impeding independence, including barriers to adherence.