Occupational Therapist (OT)

Primary Care involves environmental contexts such as social, cultural, and economic that is universally known. Most individuals recognize a primary care provider as a physician or nurse. The objectives of a primary care provider are to evaluate current health problems of individuals and educate them about these complications. In 2012, Metzler, Hartmann, and Lowenthal's article Defining Primary Care: Envisioning the Roles of Occupational Therapy (2012) discusses how primary care is only assessable through a physician or nurse. But what about Occupational Therapist (OT)? OT's should be part of primary care because OT's can assist the physicians with early interventions, OT's understand what is meaningful to the client, and OT's are able to help

OTs will be able to recognize the symptoms of the illness or disability and how they affect an individuals' occupation (Muir, 2012). Physicians typically diagnose the client and provide medications or refer them elsewhere for treatment (Muir, 2012). Instead of prescribing medications and referring the client, an OT will be able to assist the physician and define what is meaningful to the client in the initial assessment. Later the OT will be able to work with the client to create goals and work to accomplish the goals made. Occupational Therapist knows how to interact with clients to understand what is meaningful to them. "Occupational therapist [is] skilled in evaluating all factors in a client's life, leading to a comprehensive understanding of the link between occupation and health" (Metzlet et. al, 2012, pg. 268). OT's do this by having conversations with the clients' and getting to know them and their ambitions. Once OT's find what is meaningful to that particular client, they are able to provide the clients' with easy interventions' that can be replicated at home (Muir,