Occupational Therapy Assistant IHR-In-house Registry

Company Description

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better health care, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. We pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, our goal is to take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

Rehabilitation Services at Northwestern Medicine is a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team within our growing, nationally recognized health system that provides world-class care at 10 hospitals and more than 200 locations in communities throughout Chicago, the suburbs and northern Illinois. Together with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, we are pushing boundaries in innovative care delivery, training the next generation of rehabilitation specialists, and pursuing excellence in patient care. 

Rehabilitation Services values building relationships with our patients and their families, understanding the needs of our clinical and non-clinical staff, and providing opportunities for professional development, mentorship, and program development. Our integration with hospitals and clinics across Northwestern Medicine make it possible for us to serve more patients, closer to where they live and work. While each of our locations has a unique story, Rehabilitation Services at Northwestern Medicine is unified under one mission – Patients First.

Job Description

The Occupational Therapist Assistant reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

• The Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA/L) assists in the practice of occupational therapy under the supervision of a Registered Occupational Therapist. 
• The Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant implements safe and effective occupational therapy services including the evaluation of functional performance ability of persons impaired by physical illness or injury, congenital or developmental disability and/or the aging process in collaboration/under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist. 
• The Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant implements goal directed interventions for the treatment or prevention of these impairments/functional limitations to achieve maximum independence. 

Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates the four NM values of teamwork, patients first, integrity, and excellence in daily work and interactions.
• Presents a friendly, approachable, professional demeanor and appearance.
• Provides accurate information and timely updates to patients and customers.  Addresses questions and concerns promptly or identifies appropriate person and resources to do so.  Provides directions to help patients and customers with finding their way.
• Uses effective service recovery skills to solve problems or service breakdowns when they occur.
• Follows plan of care set by OT
• Demonstrates teamwork by helping co-workers within and across departments.  Communicates effectively with others, respects diverse opinions and styles, and acknowledges the assistance and contributions of others. 
• Uses organizational and unit/department resources efficiently.
• Manages work schedule efficiently, completing tasks and assignments on time.
• Contributes to opportunities and processes for continuous improvement.
• Participates in efforts to reduce costs, streamline work processes, improve and grow services we provide.
• Demonstrates creative problem solving and diversity when adapting the treatment to special circumstances as evidence by team feedback and documentation.
• Completes daily notes that reflect patient’s response to treatment, actual performance, and an assessment as to status, relevant to the treatment plan and eventual discharge needs as evidenced by chart review, meeting all documentation requirements (e.g., allows other therapists to continue treatment, allows for interpretation by payers, supports reimbursement).
• In collaboration with OTR, interprets evaluation results to identify patient strengths and major deficient areas and establishes functional, measurable goals in accordance with patient’s level of function, age, length of stay and discharge disposition.
• Assists in the appropriate selection, application and modification of treatment intervention to insure achievement of treatment