The role of occupational therapy in health technology

Technology has been a part of occupational therapy since its inception. In our educational programs, we learned about the early days of occupational therapy using looms and various woodworking tools for recovering World War I soldiers (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], n.d.). In the mid-20th century, Fred Sammons, PhD (Hon), OTR, started a catalog business that provided access and exposure to devices and technologies for occupational therapy practitioners. This provided a place for new inventions to be housed in one location, improving the availability and awareness of those working in the field. Today, we see technology used in therapeutic settings with devices and services such as smart tablets, virtual reality, mobile apps, telehealth, and driving adaptations. It is a part of our everyday lives for work, play, and leisure. According to Smith (2017), technology was considered an enhancement or specialty in occupational therapy services being delivered. He highlighted technology as much more and proclaims it now needs to be recognized as an integral part of a new fundamental theory in the structure of our profession, which may indeed advance the lens through which we professionally view technology and opportunities therein (Smith, 2017).