AOTJ

The occupational therapy profession is always “continually evolving”1 in a state of progression and change. This change is observable in our day-to-day work when we reflect on our practice and come up with new ideas for practice improvements. This could be, for example, a way of making our documentation more efficient, or an idea for gaining more meaningful engagement from clients. Sometimes, however, a more disruptive change is needed – one that needs a major transformation and challenge to the status quo2, which cannot be achieved through incremental practice refinements.

The Australian Occupational Therapy Journal is our profession’s platform for sharing research as a catalyst for disruptive innovation and transformative change. The AOTJ is an international “leading, peerreviewed publication presenting influential, high-quality innovative scholarship and research relevant to occupational therapy”3 . The journal can be used to present and share new knowledge, which aims to “influence and shape policy, systems and occupational therapy practice locally and globally”3 .

Occupational therapists have much to gain from connecting, mobilising and leading disruptive innovation. The kinds of professional issues that require disruptive innovation are much larger and more complex than typical practice issues and questions. These are the big issues in health, justice and well-being, situated in

Disruptive Innovation in Occupational Therapy

Dr Nerida Hyett,Editorial Board Member, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal

Disruptive innovation is occurring in response to improved awareness and action to address systemic racism in the occupational therapy profession

the highly complex and dynamic healthdisability-education systems in which we work. These issues may not be unique to our profession, but are where we can influence and create transformative change that has positive benefits and outcomes for the people and communities we serve.

Published articles in the AOTJ highlight a range of practice areas in which occupational therapists are leading disruptive innovation.

The significant uptake of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic – and ongoing integration of telehealth modalities in practice, multidisciplinary team care and supervision – is evidence of disruptive innovation in occupational therapy and the broader health sector. Authors from Aotearoa/New Zealand have utilised this growing uptake and acceptability to design a telehealth wheelchair assessment service, which was evaluated for cultural safety to ensure equitable access for Māori clients4 . Major expansions in the private sector led by NDIS occupational therapists have supported uptake of the social model of disability for improved practice and outcomes for people with disability. Recent research conducted by occupational therapists with people with disability highlights key recommendations for transforming education so that occupational therapists’ practice will meet participants’ needs in the evolving NDIS practice space5 .

Disruptive innovation is occurring in response to improved awareness and action to address systemic racism in the occupational therapy profession and broader systems in which we work. Authors demonstrate systemic racism is experienced by Māori occupational therapy students in their engagement with predominantly white western curriculum content and non-Indigenous educators and student peers, which creates barriers to participation and course completion6 .

The authors call for transformative education for non-Indigenous educators and decolonised university curricula and processes to create more culturally safe education experiences and supports6 .

Occupational therapists’ research with terminally ill Chinese older adults in Singapore demonstrates there is value in a shift in thinking from independence to interdependence and using family-centred practice approaches. Findings challenge the ways in which occupational therapists have traditionally utilised western practice models focusing on building independence, when for some clients interdependence is what is sought after and valued7 . Innovative research and knowledge exchange is needed for disruptive change in the occupational therapy profession, and the AOTJ is playing a part in this transformational process. What do you see as big issues for disruptive innovation in the occupational therapy profession? All occupational therapists are encouraged to take a critical eye to their practice context, think about the big issues in the profession that require transformation, and consider how they can spark and mobilise this change. Research is key to disruption – and the AOTJ can be our platform for sharing high-quality research on new practices and ideas that spark innovation.

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