The Screening Process
(This blog post is part 2 of 4 in a short mini-series about therapy processes)
Sonoran Sun Pediatric Therapy offers Free Screenings for all of our therapies (Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Feeding Therapy)
A screening is simply when a Therapist or Assistant will observe a patient, ask clarifying questions to the parents/guardians, answer any questions the parents/guardians may have, and determine whether the patient would benefit from a formal Evaluation and ongoing therapy. The screening process if FREE and usually takes 10-15 minutes. Think of a screening as a FREE “pre-evaluation” and determination of whether the patient requires ongoing therapy or whether the Therapist or Assistant may be able to make some suggestions to the parents/guardians to help with their concerns.
It is also possible that a current patient receiving therapy may be recommended for a screening by another discipline of therapy. For example, a Speech Therapist may notice that one of their patients potentially has some sensory concerns and may recommend the patient receive a Free Occupational Therapy Screening. If this happens, this is nothing to be alarmed or concerned about. This simply means that the patient’s therapist wants to make sure the patient has all the tools they need for success, and that the patient may benefit from guidance or therapy from another discipline.
Since Screenings are FREE, they do not require any insurance authorization. You can simply call or email Sonoran Sun Pediatric Therapy to schedule a screening with which discipline you think the patient may benefit from. Not sure what discipline the patient may benefit from? Then simply give us a call and we’ll steer you in the right direction.
Michael Jankowski, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapy Director