Occupational therapy's journey: the implementation, challenge, and expectation.

The increased interest in administrative issues reflects the changing climate facing the profession of occupational therapy in the mid-1980s. The effect of the changing medical delivery system on the profession is evidenced through the development of home health organizations (HMOs), diagnostic-related group (DRG) systems, and other federal- and state-regulated systems. To ensure survival, the practice of occupational therapy will become more community based and less dependent on the hospital setting.