Health Care Reform Implementation & Advocacy: A Discussion With the UTMB OT Students and Faculty!

Brent Howard Braveman, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:09:00 GMT

What a great day today!

One of the roles that I have fulfilled for AOTA recently is to serve as Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee on Health Care Reform Implementation. I have worked with AOTA national affairs staff and with a great group of volunteers to examine how health care reform will impact occupational therapy and how we can prepare our membership and actually shape the implementation of health care reform.

Recently I co-authored an article in AJOT (American Journal of Occupational Therapy) with Christina Metzler, AOTA's Chief Public Affairs Officer as the first of a new series of article in AJOT on Health Policy Perspectives. Here is a link to the article that can be downloaded by AOTA members.

http://ajot.aotapress.net/content/66/1/11.full.pdf+html

Today I drove to Galveston and met with the students and faculty of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) to discuss the article, health care reform and how we can prepare and influence the outcomes. It was a great group with thoughtful questions. I encouraged them to take an active role in advocating for OT in structures such as medical homes, accountable care organizations or as issues like what is included in the definition of "essential benefits." I also extened an invitation to join me at this fall's Capital Hill Day to visit our Texas Senators!

A truly fabulous day!

Brent

brent braveman's blog : students, vision

Health Care Reform Implementation & Advocacy: A Discussion With the UTMB OT Students and Faculty!