PSRO and quality assurance: what is the occupational therapist's role?

This article highlights the characteristics of the PSRO review process, looks briefly at the variety of patient care evaluation procedures and enumerates the ways in which occupational therapists can participate. There are two major steps the occupational therapists can take. The first is done on an individual or staff level. The second, involving a series of ongoing contacts, needs to be organized through a state or local occupational therapy association. Individual participation starts in your own service area with chart audit of the quality of occupational therapy care. The audit is based on criteria developed or adapted in the occupational therapy department. There are now many ways to gain the skills necessary for such a project. They are listed in the article. Occupational therapists can have input into the PSRO program through a PSRO committee of their state or local occupational therapy association. Selected representatives of the occupational therapy affiliates should contact all PSROs in their state. The area in which occupational therapists can interact with the PSRO are described.