2023-07-28 08:00:18
Little known to the general public, occupational therapists nevertheless play a crucial role with patients facing health problems. Indeed, they prevent situations of disability by maintaining the daily activities of patients in optimal safety conditions. A new decree published in the Official Journal lists the products that occupational therapists will now be authorized to prescribe as part of their practice.. Focus on the details of this text which entered into force on 1is last July.
What is an Occupational Therapist?
When a patient with health issues has difficulty with self-care, mobility or communication, they can get help from a professional called an occupational therapist. His role ? Prevent and reduce situations of disability by maintaining the patient’s daily activities in optimal safety conditions. To do this, the occupational therapist analyzes the patient’s lifestyle habits as well as his environment and arranges it to make it more practical and accessible to him. In particular, it offers solutions inspired by both manual trades and gestures of daily and professional life.
The occupational therapist can intervene with patients of all ages and practice in various fields of activity such as:
- Functional rehabilitation
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Or home care.
To know ! Occupational therapists are found in hospitals, clinics or in town.
Occupational therapists: what can they prescribe?
In April 2022, a decree defined the prescription conditions for occupational therapists. Since then, we have been waiting to know the list of medical devices and technical aids that these professionals might prescribe.
It is now done with a new decree published in the Official Journal and listing the products that occupational therapists will now be authorized to prescribe in the context of their practice. Since 1is July 2023, they will thus be able to prescribe, unless otherwise indicated by the doctor, the medical devices and technical aids from the following list with a view to reimbursement by Health Insurance (subject to inclusion on the list of products and reimbursable benefits [LPPR]) :
- Medical beds
- Medical devices for the prevention of bedsores
- Modular standing devices and associated accessories
- Canes and crutches
- Hip and knee positioning series cushions
- Rollators
- Seats that can be adapted on a wheeled frame
- Apparatus for lifting the patient
- Miscellaneous life support devices
- Partial head support devices
- Protective helmets for children with disabilities
- Commode chairs with armrests and bucket
- Shell for bath for child up to 16e anniversary
- Pedestals with variable inclination of shell for bath for children up to 16e anniversary
- Custom gloves for hand mutilation
- Knives, folding fork knives with case
- Vehicles for people with disabilities, their possible additions, and posture aid products
- Materials for making immobilization devices for immediate application, thermoformable at low temperature molded directly on the integuments, in a transient rubbery state or in a transient viscoelastic state; the therapeutic act of carrying out the immobilization which will result from it will necessarily be carried out by a professional of the equipment
- Standard lumbar support belts and standard belt bands
- Cervical collars
- Standard orthopedic correction splints
- Therapeutic shoes as standard.
Occupational therapists practicing their profession on medical prescription, they must inform the prescribing doctor and, where applicable, the patient’s attending physician, of the prescription made.
To know ! These new provisions do not apply to occupational therapists employed by a service provider and equipment distributor or a medical device manufacturer.
Updated by Déborah L., Dr in Pharmacy, July 19, 2023.
Sources
– Prescription by occupational therapists: the list of medical devices and technical aids is published. www.vidal.fr. Accessed July 9, 2023.
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