The Occupational Therapy Treatment Planning Process

Treatment Planning Process

By : Catherine A. Trombly

Treatment planning is problem solving applied to patient care.methodology is similar to that used by scientists and businessmen to solve problem in theirspheres of endeavor. Problem solving involves clearly stating the goal to be achieved, gathering infomation pertaining to achievement of the goal, analyzing and interpreting the meaning of that information, establishing specific subgoals and a plan to achieve them, implementing the plan, and reviewing the outcome. Every member of treatment team utilizes this problem-solving process.

The team members must collaborate to plan an overall, nonconflicting program for the patient that enhances all of the patient’s capabilities but does not overstress him. The composition of the team varies depending upon the particular problem and needs of the patient. In a rehabilitation center a core team of physician, nurse, occupational therapist, social worker, phsycologist, and rehabilitation counselor are occasionally joined by the orthotist, prosthetist, rehabilitation nurse, teacher, andmedical or surgical specialists, such as rheumatologist, cardiologist, etc. each member is responsible for developing a treatment plan related to his or her own unique area of expertise.

The occupational therapy treatment planning process is the same whether it is applied to persons with physical, psychosocial, or cognitive perceptual motor disabilities. It is the process of identifying the problem(s), establishing the goal(s), and determining the approaches, principles, and methods by which this person with these problems can reach those goals.

The step of treatment planning process :

1.      Data Gathering

2.      Interpreting the data and identifying the problems

3.      Setting goal and priorities

4.      Formulate the treatment plan for each short-term goal

5.      Treat the patient

6.      Reevaluation

7.      Recording