History of Occupational Medicine

When a person experiences some form of debilitating trauma, whether from an accident, orthopedic surgery or stroke, they may be referred to the occupational therapy department as part of their treatment plan. Sometimes confused with physical therapy, OT's focus is more on the patient as a whole versus just the nature of the debilitation, an ideology that formed the basis of the practice and developed its principles.

Humble Beginnings

• OT can be traced back several thousand years to the ancient Greek and Roman empires, where physicians recognized the need for ethical treatment of mentally disturbed individuals. The ancient doctors utilized massage, light exercise and music in their treatment plans, an idea that became lost to Medieval Europeans who chose to beat or imprison the mentally ill. In the late 1700s, a forward-thinking Philippe Pinel revitalized the lagging healthcare system and reintroduced the ancient methods, abandoning the beatings in favor of making the patients work hard and play hard. It wasn't until the early 1900s that the European model made its way to U.S. shores, where it quickly took hold in the medical community.

Laying the Groundwork

• Within 20 years, the new methods replaced outdated treatments, with woodworking introduced to patients under the belief that a mind that is fully engaged (occupied) aids in healing. There still remained some resistance in medicine, as some believed that such work was essentially a waste of time. OT advocates held that illness resulted as a combination of physical and socioeconomic factors. By the 1930s, OT was both recognized and valued by many institutions.

Pioneers

• Activist Eleanor Clark Slagle argued women's importance in the workplace, especially medicine. After training in Chicago, Slagle applied her theories and principles at Hull House, where she instilled a program of arts and crafts in treatment programs. Renowned psychiatrist Adolf Meyer believed in Slagle's approach and gave her a position to oversee the new OT department at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. William Dunton, Jr. agreed as well and began pushing for a correlation between OT and psychiatric medicine. Susan Tracy, a nurse serving in a mental institution, quit her position to open her own OT-minded treatment hospital, thus furthering the new form of treatment.

AOTA

• Dunton and Slagle as well as Thomas Kinder and Susan Cox Johnson (both healthcare professionals) met in 1917 to create the National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Medicine. Four years later they changed the name to the American Occupational Therapy Association, or AOTA as it is now known. The group solidified a teaching curriculum and established rules of practice still in use today.

OT In Action

• OT 's importance showed in the First World War and was instrumental in treating soldiers during subsequent wars. Today OT is fully recognized as a valued and integral medical practice, with occupational medicine departments working alongside other therapy departments (physical, speech, etc.) to effectively treat patients.