LAC 46:XLV.4911. Evaluation

A. Occupational therapists shall evaluate the client's performance. B. Initial occupational therapy evaluations shall consider the repertoire of occupations in which the client engages, the contexts influencing engagement, the performance patterns and skills the client uses, the demands of the occupation, and the client’s body functions and structures. C. All evaluation methods shall be appropriate to the client's age, education, cultural and ethnic background, medical status, and functional ability. D. Occupational therapists shall communicate evaluation results within the boundaries of client confidentiality and privacy regulations. E. If the results of the evaluation indicate areas that require intervention by other professionals, the occupational therapist should communicate this to the referring healthcare professional. F. The occupational therapist is responsible for all aspects of the evaluation process, including, but not limited to: 1. completion of an occupational profile in collaboration with the client; 2. directing the evaluation process; 3. using evidence-based, standardized, and/or structured assessment tools and protocols; 4. analyzing and interpreting data; and 5. documenting and communicating the results. G. An occupational therapy assistant may contribute to the evaluation process by administering delegated assessments, reporting assessment results to the occupational therapist, and contributing to the documentation of evaluation results.