Implementing Activity Based Therapy Programming at an Inpatient Rehab Hospital: Knowledge Translation, Industry Collaboration, and Initial Findings

Thursday, October 30, 2025

8:15 AM - 9:15 AM

Location: ROOM: Private Dining Room #2 >>> DIRECTIONS: Third Floor >>> From the Main Elevator Bank, proceed left past Williford and Astoria. PDR #2 is located to the left in the small corridor.

Corresponding Presenter(s)

Kristen Webber, OT, BCPR

Director of Rehab Services
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Columbus, Ohio, United States

Presenter(s)

Stephanie Cooley, OT, ATP

Rehab Services Team Lead
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Jodi Jones, MOT, OTR/L (she/her/hers)

Rehabilitation Services Team Lead: CVA, General Rehab, & NeuroVision Clinic
The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
Columbus, OH, United States
Lindsey Fish, MOT OTR/L

Occupational Therapist OTR/L MOT
Shepherd Center
Atlanta, GA, United States
JS

Jill K. Seymour, OTR/L, CLT, MSOT

ABT PRN OT
Shepherd Center
Alpharetta, Georgia, United States
DH

Dave Haley, PT, DPT, NCS

This symposium will highlight implementation of an activity-based therapy program at The Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center's inpatient rehabilitation hospital. The OSU organizational change process reviewed includes knowledge translation, preparing for the cultural shift, collaboration with an established activity-based therapy program (Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia), and the impact on patient outcomes. Current literature will be reviewed to describe the organization's approach to addressing challenges of implementing activity-based therapy. Collaboration between The OSUWMC and Shepherd Center allows for comparison of a newly formed program versus the growth and specialization that occurs in long standing activity-based therapy teams. By comparing the 50-bed generalized rehabilitation hospital versus the 180+ specialized rehab hospital’s activity-based therapy programs, audience members will gain an understanding of how to advance impactful activity-based programming and interventions in their clinical practice.

Learning Objectives:

Define activity-based therapy interventions
Identify the patient subgroups most appropriate for each intervention including dosing, intensity, and tracking
Identify the six key challenges of implementing activity-based therapy
Explain the unique role of activity based-therapy teams at inpatient rehabilitation hospitals
Apply program design to their inpatient rehabilitation facility