AOTA member spotlight: Colette Maguire, OTR/L, MHA

Colette Maguire, OTR/L, MHA, is an occupational therapist and Clinical Quality Improvement Specialist at Loyola Medicine. She spent some time with Julie Malloy, MOT, OTR/L, PMP, CPHQ, Director of Quality at AOTA, discussing her experiences working in quality.

Julie: How did you first get interested in quality?

Colette: I have been an occupational therapist since 2006. I spent 13 years in acute care and was in a leadership position as a clinical manager. I had developed an interest in quality over the years and was looking for a way to step into a quality-focused position. It took me a while to find the right fit and role, but once I met with the team at Loyola, I knew it was a good fit. They had a quality team with a social worker, nurse, and non-clinical individuals. I knew that my input as an occupational therapist would be valued. So, in 2019 I stepped away from my comfort zone to tackle this new opportunity.

Julie: How does your current position differ from the clinical manager position you held?

Colette: At the core, I am still an occupational therapist, and I look at things from an occupational therapy perspective. I am working on projects that prevent harm. I work on projects that help reduce patient falls, readmissions, length of stay, hospital-acquired infections, etc. I also support the clinical programs for orthopedics, women & children, urology, and neurological service lines. Lastly, I also collaborate with risk management and work on focus groups for quality improvement projects. Although I am not supervising others directly at this time, I am able to lead in other ways and to lead organizational efforts in quality.

Julie: What advice do you have for those interested in getting involved in health care quality?

Colette: I would recommend that people start looking at quality in their own practice. Find out about quality committees at your current organization, or find a way to get involved in quality improvement. Sometimes quality improvement groups do not realize the value that an occupational therapy practitioner can bring to the effort, so you might have to sell your skills. Remember that you can lead formally or informally, and leading quality efforts is another way to lead. Also, become familiar with regulatory components as well as reimbursement models. There are many great articles and websites to help with this, including the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website.

For any comments or questions, or to share more occupational therapy quality success stories, please contact quality@aota.org.

Posted: October 19, 2021