The Integration of Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists into Burn Wound Care Increases Therapist Productivity, Job Satisfaction, and Multidisciplinary Collaboration

When attempting to deliver specialized rehabilitation therapy interventions, physical therapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) must account for dynamic and logistical patient factors such as daily wound care, pain, difficulty progressing range of motion with dressings donned, and ongoing surgical interventions. Additionally, they must attain institution-specific productivity standards. Given burn patients often require considerable multidisciplinary interventions, efficiently planning and delivering rehabilitation therapy interventions within productivity expectations may prove difficult. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of integrating rehabilitation therapists, PTs and OTs, into daily burn wound care by investigating therapist productivity and multidisciplinary perceptions of this practice change. The quality improvement project involved 6 rehabilitation therapists (3 PTs and 3 OTs) practicing exclusively in the burn unit within an American Burn Association (ABA)-verified burn center at an urban, tertiary care academic medical center. One rehabilitation therapist was responsible for providing interventions within the burn wound care team 5 days a week. General duties included wound assessment, functional wound dressings, and skilled therapeutic interventions such as manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and compression interventions. The primary outcome was changes in group productivity and individual therapist productivity, as measured by total billed Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes per hour worked, which were tracked 22 weeks preimplementation and 28 weeks postimplementation. Program feasibility and general perceptions were assessed by a qualitative questionnaire. For both the entire group of therapists and each individual rehabilitation therapist, billed CPT codes per hour increased postimplementation, 1.81 vs 1.54 (P = .005) and a matched increase of 0.27/h (P = .003). Of the 23 survey respondents, 96% had a favorable impression of the program and reported it eased staffing demands. All respondents reported improved unit workflow and multidisciplinary communication. The majority of multidisciplinary burn team members actively supported the pilot program and commented on improvements in patient care. Full-time rehabilitation therapy participation in wound care increases therapist productivity and job satisfaction. Future efforts, however, should focus on measuring specific patient outcomes and costs as a result of therapist integration into daily wound care practice.