Occupational Health (OH) vs Occupational Therapy (OT):
Do You Know the Difference?
Okay, so not everyone NEEDS to know the difference between Occupational Health and Occupational Therapy. However, for those who either work in and around those fields, or for those who access those services, it is important to have a basic understanding of how they are similar and how they differ.
Let’s start with a general overview.
According to the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, OT is described as “a type of health care that helps to solve the problems that interfere with a person’s ability to do the things that are important to them – everyday things like self-care, being productive, and leisure activities”
In comparison, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that Occupational Health is said to “deal with all aspects of health and safety in the workplace and has a strong focus on primary prevention of hazards”.
At first glance, the definitions appear to be similar in generic terms, but have quite different specific goals.
Let’s look into the people who work in these fields.
Occupational Therapists are the primary providers of Occupational Therapy services. Therapists are university-educated professionals that belong to a provincial regulatory college and contributing to these services are Occupational Therapy Assistants/Aides, who are generally college-educated professionals that work under the “license/registration” of the therapist. Both of these professionals strive to implement preventative and/or corrective actions, incorporating medical, physical, and psychosocial factors that lead to increased productivity and quality of life. These professionals can work in a variety of settings such as: within the community (e.g. home care, group homes), within Government (e.g. health promotion, accessibility), within Industry/Business (e.g. insurance or rehabilitation companies), and within Institutions (e.g. clinics, hospitals).
Occupational Health services can be provided by range of specialists with Occupational Health training. In a best-practice situation, services would be overseen by an Occupational Medicine Physician. However, additional specialists can include: Occupational Health Nurses, Ergonomists, Occupational Hygienists, Occupational Health Technicians, and others. These professionals can work in variety of settings that range from offices to industrial sites.
Finally, how do people benefit from these services?
The recipients of Occupational Therapy are generally individuals who often have a specific disability/injury. These individuals may benefit from OT services by obtaining education or suggestions related to their disability. In addition, therapists may suggest adaptations of the materials, layout, or organization of their work/home environments.
While the direct recipient of Occupational Health services are individuals, the employer plays a major role. Often, it is the employer that arranges for services to be provided to the individuals/employees. These services aim to benefit employees by preventing work-related illness or injury through: encouraging safe work practices, contributing to a safe and health return to work process, implementing ergonomics in the workplace, monitoring aggregate health metrics, etc.
At Apex, we primarily provide Occupational Health and Wellness-related services to our clients, who tend to be employers and organizations. We work closely with our clients to coordinate and manage services delivered to their employees. Specifically, our clients’ employees benefit from services such as: Medical Surveillance, Fit for Duty testing, Return to Work/Case Management, Ergonomic evaluations, and Wellness initiatives; all under the guidance of our Medical Director.