Commenter:
Karen Layman, COTA/L, Jefferson College of Health Sciences - OTA
Regulations for licensure of OTA
The proposed regulation ( 18VAC85-80-110 Section D) decreases days allowed for an OT to co-sign all documentation generated by the supervised OTA and does not coincide with the proposed supervisory visit schedule. This seems odd given that OTAs are newly licensed in VA and paperwork requirements are already very time consuming in many settings. Why are proposed OT/OTA supervisory regs not in keeping with PT/PTA regs now that both assistant professions are licensed? My concern is that employeers will be less eager to hire OTAs if the documentation they produce creates even more supervisory tasks/cycles for OTs which then reduces their time to eval and treat.
This will likely mean less time for clients and/or therapists workdays extended as more papers are moved back and forth. Who will benefit?
Logistics for this paperwork schedule are a major concern for school systems and home health agencies where therapy staff already have longer travel time and visits to a central office are minimized. Please review the wording of this regulation so as not to hinder best efforts and dampen morale of dedicated occupational therapy professionals and possibly reduce job opportunities for OTAs in Virginia.
