The Memory Unit OT

Within the SNF setting, interdisciplinary team meetings occur regularly in order to review the patient’s progress and create the most appropriate care plan moving forward.

In all skilled units, the initial meeting should occur within 72 hours of admission.

Some facilities will then host additional meetings every 10-14 days to review goals and progress, and all facilities will schedule a discharge planning meeting when the skilled stay is nearing conclusion.

On long-term care/residency units, these meetings will occur at least annually.

Some facilities will follow the MDS schedule, which may result in more frequent meetings throughout the year. For long-term residents, the team will review the residents current medications, behaviors, concerns, and recommendations for additional care/services if needed.

Members of the interdisciplinary team (IDT) include the patient/resident, their families/care partners, the medical director, nursing, therapy, social work, nutrition, activities/recreation, and the business office.

Therapists are of high value within the IDT. Often our recommendations are what guide the discharge planning decisions for skilled patients and the environmental/routine modifications for long-term residents.

Personally, when I first started participating in IDT meetings, I stumbled and fumbled over my words and then usually left the meeting wishing I had asked just one more question. So I’ve created a data collection sheet with the questions I find to be the most helpful in gathering data in the most efficient amount of time.

And because I’m always working to improve my own skills, wat other questions do you find the most important to ask during IDT meetings?