Together Isn’t Always Better: The Meaningful Shift in Co-Treatment

Show Notes

When does teamwork strengthen patient care—and when can it unintentionally limit it?

In this episode of Acute Conversations, hosts Dr. Leo Arguelles and Dr. Daniel Young welcome Haley Bento, PT, DPT, CCS; Harley Kvenvold, occupational therapist; Dr. Kathryn Brito, PT, DPT, CCS; and Brian Hull, PT, DPT, MBA, BCHE, to revisit PT and OT co-treatment in acute care. Building on a previous listener-favorite episode and their newly published clinical perspective, the panel examines why routine co-treatment remains common and how clinicians can move toward more intentional, patient-specific decision-making.

The conversation explores how co-treatment can affect therapy intensity, access to care and professional identity—particularly when occupational therapy is reduced to an extra set of hands rather than recognized for its distinct expertise. The guests also address the real-world factors that shape practice, including clinician confidence, limited support staff, productivity pressures, discharge demands and hospital culture.

Listeners will hear practical strategies for distinguishing a true need for two skilled disciplines from a need for brief physical assistance, strengthening ICU competency and mentorship, documenting clinical reasoning, and reassessing the need for co-treatment during every session.

The goal is not to eliminate co-treatment or shame clinicians who use it. It is to create a meaningful shift toward thoughtful collaboration that protects each profession’s unique value and better serves patients.

Today’s Guests:

Haley Bento PT, DPT, CCS

Haley.bento@utah.edu

IG: @utahcardioptresidency; @utahacuteptresidency

Brian Hull PT, DPT, MBA, BCHE

brian.hull@bswhealth.org