Meeting individuals where they are: OT in an interdisciplinary primary care clinic

In Gainesville, FL, something innovative is happening. In 2012, the Care One Clinic was created to bring primary care services to clients who previously frequented the emergency department due to complex medical and psychosocial needs. Today, Care One is an interdisciplinary outpatient clinic serving the low-income patient population in Alachua County. The clinic is connected to Shands, the teaching hospital associated with the University of Florida (UF). The team at the Care One Clinic consists of pharmacists, social workers, dentists, and medical doctors, and recently, occupational therapy has found a place in this setting. Due to common barriers to accessing transportation, the low-income client population often has difficulty attending multiple appointments for different needs (e.g., outpatient medicine, outpatient dentistry). As such, these clients often also have difficulty receiving comprehensive health care, even though many of them are medically complex and would greatly benefit from interdisciplinary services. The Care One Clinic addresses this need. When clients arrive, they are told to prepare to be there for around 2 hours because they will be seen by each member of the team during their visit. The role of occupational therapy in primary care is relatively new, but this setting is even more unique because it allows the voice of occupational therapy to be heard in interdisciplinary discussions about each patient.