Why does therapy often feel undervalued by the systems we serve? To change the future of our professions, we must first understand the forces that shape today’s Medicare and private payer models—and ultimately, your reimbursement.

In this session, we sit down with DPT and policy expert Dana Strauss to pull back the curtain on the reimbursement landscape. Together, we’ll explore why the current system prioritizes procedures over longitudinal care and, more importantly, identify the strategic levers we can pull to shift the needle.

You’ll leave this course with a clear understanding of three concrete advocacy efforts we can rally around in 2026, and a practical roadmap for making them happen. Join us to turn frustration into informed action and help usher in a new era where the true value of therapy is recognized.

Resources:
Therapy Reimbursement Guide (https://otpotential.com/blog/therapy-reimbursement)
Advocacy Playbook for OTs & PTs (https://otpotential.com/blog/therapy-advocacy-for-pt-and-ot)

See full course details here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/how-ots-and-pts-get-paid

See all OT CEU courses here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses

Check our our live webinar schedule here:
https://otpotential.com/live-ot-ceu-webinars

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https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

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While the landscape of healthcare is shifting beneath our feet, the most tangible change in daily practice since the arrival of AI has been our documentation.

Over the past two years, we have moved beyond the initial excitement of AI scribes and chat interfaces. As we look ahead to Therapy Documentation in 2026, the conversation is shifting from “how do we save time?” to “how can data and analytics help us in real-time?” We are entering an era where documentation is no longer a static record of the past, but a dynamic tool that augments our clinical reasoning and patient care.

We are thrilled to welcome to the podcast Pedro Teixeira, MD, PhD. Dr. Teixeira is the co-founder of PredictionHealth (now part of Prompt Health) and a leading expert in using biomedical informatics to bring intelligent automation into the rehab workflow.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

• Industry-wide technology adoption
• Documentation KPIs and metrics
• Emerging clinical data dashboards
• Future-focused patient care vision

See full course details here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/therapy-documentation-in-2026

See all OT CEU courses here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses

Check our our live webinar schedule here:
https://otpotential.com/live-ot-ceu-webinars

Support the show by using the OTPOTENTIAL Medbridge Code:
https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

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There is a foundational skillset essential to occupational therapy that often isn't covered in school: The ability to design a 60-minute session that is both clinically transformative and operationally sound.

Bridging the gap between high-level evidence-like task-specific practice for stroke recovery-and the realities of billing codes and patient engagement is no small feat. It is this specific ability to structure "best practice" into a seamless, hour-long experience that separates the master clinician from the novice.

In this 1 hour course, we sit down with Rachel Egan, OTR/L, CHT, COMT, a master clinician and rehab manager who understands this complexity firsthand. As an operational leader at NovaCare overseeing 13 clinics, Rachel balances the dual demands of high-quality patient care and administrative excellence.

You'll leave this course ready to plan great OT sessions of your own.

See full course details here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/how-to-plan-a-great-ot-session

See all OT CEU courses here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses

Check our our live webinar schedule here:
https://otpotential.com/live-ot-ceu-webinars

Support the show by using the OTPOTENTIAL Medbridge Code:
https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

Try 2 free OT Potential courses here:
https://otpotential.com/free-ot-ceus

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Occupational therapy in the NICU is one of the most specialized and sensitive practice areas in our profession. The transition from traditional clinical settings to the high-stakes, high-tech environment of neonatal care requires a fundamental shift in how we approach both assessment and intervention.

Whether you are an OT looking to move into the NICU or a pediatric therapist wanting to better understand the early medical history of the infants on your caseload, this course will walk you through essential neuroprotective strategies that optimize long-term outcomes.

You’ll leave more confident in navigating the complexities of neonatal care—from performing specialized assessments to implementing interventions that protect the developing brain. Joining us for this course is neonatal therapist and lactation consultant, Nicole Bazinet, MS, OTR/L, IBCLC, CNT, NTMTC who will share hard-earned advice from her years in this setting.

In this course, we will cover:

• OT assessment
• Common interventions
• Partnering with parents

You will leave this course empowered to support our tiniest patients and their families during this critical window of development.

See full course details here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/how-to-plan-a-great-ot-session

See all OT CEU courses here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses

Support the show by using the OTPOTENTIAL Medbridge Code:
https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

Try 2 free OT Potential courses here:
https://otpotential.com/free-ot-ceus

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Are you fully using the critical window of opportunity after stroke to support neuro-recovery during your OT sessions—or are you unintentionally devoting valuable rehab time to compensation?

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Henry Hoffman to explore why prioritizing recovery—when possible—matters, and how occupational therapy professionals can more intentionally drive neuroplastic change after stroke.

Together, we break down core principles that support recovery-oriented practice, including:

• Motor learning over compensation
• High-repetition, task-specific practice
• Sensory-rich feedback to shape movement

We also unpack emerging neuroscience from the past few years that supports this approach—and translate it into real-world practice. You’ll hear practical examples of what these principles can look like across education, assessment, and intervention, helping you reflect on how recovery-focused your current stroke practice truly is.

Whether you work in inpatient rehab, outpatient neuro, home health, or education, this episode will challenge and refine how you think about recovery, compensation, and the powerful role OT professionals play in post-stroke neuro-rehabilitation.

See full course details here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/neuro-recovery-after-stroke

See all OT CEU courses here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses

Support the show by using the OTPOTENTIAL Medbridge Code:
https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

Try 2 free OT Potential courses here:
https://otpotential.com/free-ot-ceus

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Mental health is one of occupational therapy’s smallest practice areas.

Because relatively few OTs work in traditional mental health settings, it can feel like an enigma:

• What does mental health OT actually look like day to day?
• Where do we fit on interdisciplinary teams?
• And how does occupation truly show up in mental health care?

At the same time, there may be no better home for occupational therapy’s core values than mental health practice.

In this course, Intro to Mental Health OT, we zoom out to ground you in the big picture—while also getting practical about what mental health OT looks like in real clinical contexts.

We’ll be joined by a practicing occupational therapist and champion of the profession, Michelle Burlyga, OTR/L.

Together, we’ll walk through:

• Common assessments used in mental health OT
• Core treatment approaches and intervention strategies
• Key considerations for mental health practice that differ from other OT settings
• Why mental health competencies are increasingly essential—no matter where you practice

You’ll leave with a clearer mental model of mental health occupational therapy—and a stronger sense of how OT’s distinct focus on occupation can play a powerful role in supporting mental health and recovery.

See full course details here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/intro-to-mental-health-ot

See all OT CEU courses here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses

Support the show by using the OTPOTENTIAL Medbridge Code:
https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

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Through OT Potential, we’ve released more than 124 podcast episodes exploring the research, ideas, and conversations shaping occupational therapy. Each year, we pause to step back and ask a foundational question:

What is occupational therapy—and how is it evolving?

In this special episode to kick off 2026, we expand the conversation beyond research alone to include advocacy, technology, and the forces shaping OT practice and public perception.

Joining us for this milestone conversation are two of the profession’s most influential leaders:

• Katie Jordan, CEO of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
• Angela Macauley, PMP, CEO of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)

Together, we explore:

• How occupational therapy practitioners can collaborate on advocacy efforts, particularly around reimbursement and sustainability of practice
• How the profession can more effectively communicate and market the value of OT to the public, referral partners, and policymakers
  How emerging technologies—especially AI—are impacting the profession.

This episode is an invitation to zoom out, reconnect with OT’s core identity, and consider how we collectively shape the future of the profession.

See full course details here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/what-is-ot-in-2026

See all OT CEU courses here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses

Support the show by using the OTPOTENTIAL Medbridge Code:
https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

Try 2 free OT Potential courses here:
https://otpotential.com/free-ot-ceus

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Research suggests that anywhere from 46% to 84% of autistic children experience selective eating.

And the downstream risks are substantial: selective eating is linked with nutritional deficiencies, psychosocial impairment, and increased risk of developmental and psychiatric comorbidities, with severity tied to how persistent and restrictive the eating patterns become.

In this OT Potential course, Britt St. John, PhD, MPH, OTR/L, joins us to break down what occupational therapy professionals need to understand—and do—when supporting autistic children with selective eating. We’ll begin with Britt’s story and key terminology (picky eating vs. selective eating vs. feeding disorders), then move into practical, evidence-based guidance for clinicians.

Together, we’ll focus on three core areas:

• Assessment: How to identify the nature and severity of selective eating, including available OT assessments and red flags that should guide clinical decision making.
• Caregiver collaboration: How to partner with families in ways that reduce stress, build shared understanding, and promote sustainable change at home.
• Evidence-backed treatment options: What the research supports, how OT interventions fit within interprofessional care, and when to refer on.

This course is designed for OTs and OTAs looking for clarity in a complex practice area—and for practical tools you can use immediately to support families navigating selective eating.

See full course details here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/selective-eating-and-autism

See all OT CEU courses here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses

Support the show by using the OTPOTENTIAL Medbridge Code:
https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

Try 2 free OT Potential courses here:
https://otpotential.com/free-ot-ceus

Support the show