BTE

When your treatment activities match the job demands, that's functional hand therapy.

Last week, we welcomed our partners from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, and Singapore to BTE for an exclusive look at what's coming next. Seeing familiar faces (and meeting new ones!) after everyone traveled so far meant a lot to our whole team.

Thank you for the great conversations, the feedback, and the energy you brought with you — we're looking forward to sharing more soon. Stay tuned.

Clinics are buying AI tools faster than research can support it. Some of the strongest evidence right now is emerging in:
→ Movement analysis
→ Computer vision
→ Robotic-assisted neurological rehabilitation

Adoption doesn't always move at the same speed as evidence. Before buying the next AI-powered tool, ask the vendor these questions:
→ What part is actually AI (versus automation) ?
→ What outcomes has it been validated against?
→ Is there peer-reviewed evidence behind it?

Most OT clinics still treat equipment like a cost. But it’s one of the biggest drivers of outcomes, efficiency, and referrals.

The clinics that stand out are using tools that:
→ create measurable progress
→ improve session flow
→ keep patients motivated

When equipment is treated like an expense, it gets minimized.
When it’s treated like a system, it drives performance.

New staff? More skills? Contact hours? Our Simulator II training course checks all three boxes. Registration fills up quickly, so grab your spot before August 13! More info and registration: https://bit.ly/4eib9HE

For clients with hypersensitivity, graded exposure to different textures can help reduce discomfort while restoring confidence in everyday hand use.

This example shows two ways the same task can be adapted: from a textured knurled surface to a covered surface, allowing therapists to match the challenge to the client's tolerance.

Happy and !

Faster ≠ Better. AI adoption in rehab is moving fast.

The harder question is whether clinics are evaluating these tools with the same level of rigor they’d expect from any other clinical intervention.

Because “AI-powered” can mean anything from simple automation to advanced movement analysis — and not all of it is supported by the same level of evidence.

As more AI tools enter rehabilitation, the ability to evaluate claims, measure outcomes, and ask better questions during demos will matter more and more.

👉 Article by Morgan Hopkins, DPT, CMTPT https://bit.ly/4v0Cyom

❌ Objective testing isn't about proving you’re doing good work.

🔎 It's about catching what your eyes miss, documenting change clearly, and making sure patients don’t leave with deficits no one ever identified. Used well, objective testing leads to better decisions and better outcomes.

OTs are constantly walking the line when recommending adaptive tools:

🔽 Too little support, and the task isn’t safe.
🔼 Too much, and it takes away independence.

The goal is to help someone keep doing the activity on their own in a way that fits their life, their home, and their dignity.