Katie Jordan OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Associate Chair of Occupational Therapy Clinical Services, Director of OT and Speech Therapy, Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital, and Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy

Room: CHP 118
(323) 442-2031 (CHP) | (323) 442-9530 (Hospital)
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Biography

Katie Jordan received dual bachelor’s degrees in Fine Arts and in Psychology and Social Behavior from the University of California, Irvine. She worked as a pilates and dance instructor for several years while pursing her Occupational Therapy Doctorate degree at the University of Southern California. After obtaining her OTD, Dr. Jordan became the Director of the USC Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice. She utilized her skills as a Lifestyle Redesign® specialist with clients in the Weight Management program and in Executive Health. She was also on the faculty team that designed and implemented the LifeAdvisor training program for the Four Season’s Westlake Resort Hotel, and has taught the Lifestyle Redesign® Pathway course in the USC Chan Division’s professional program.

In 2008, Dr. Jordan left USC to relocate to Austin, Texas, where she was the lead therapist at a Long-Term Acute Care Hospital. Upon her return to USC in 2009, she became the Associate Chair of OT Clinical Service in the Division, and the Director of OT and Speech Therapy services at Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital. Drawing upon her leadership experience in acute rehabilitation and Lifestyle Redesign®, Dr. Jordan is working diligently to integrate, support and expand all clinical occupational therapy services across USC’s campuses and community clinics.

Education

Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
2004 | University of Southern California

Master of Arts (MA) in Occupational Therapy
2003 | University of Southern California

Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Fine Arts
1999 | University of California, Irvine

Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology and Social Behavior
1999 | University of California, Irvine

Publications

2019

Journal Articles

Jordan, K. (2019). Capsule commentary on Bowling et al., prevalence of activity limitations and association with multimorbidity among US adults 50 to 64 years old [Capsule commentary]. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 34(11), 2583-2583. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-019-05297-9

Pyatak, E., King, M., Vigen, C. L., Salazar, E., Díaz, J., Schepens Niemiec, S. L., Blanchard, J., Jordan, K., Banerjee, J., & Shukla, J. (2019). Addressing diabetes in primary care: Hybrid effectiveness–implementation study of Lifestyle Redesign® occupational therapy. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73(5), 7305185020p1-7305185020p12. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2019.037317 Show abstract

Importance. Primary health care is rapidly developing as an occupational therapy practice area. Yet, to date, little evidence supports occupational therapy’s feasibility and efficacy in primary care settings.
 
Objective. To report on the implementation and preliminary clinical outcomes of a Lifestyle Redesign® (LR)–occupational therapy (LR–OT) diabetes management intervention in a primary care clinic.
 
Design. Patients were randomized to be offered LR–OT or to a no-contact comparison group (data not reported). We assessed implementation outcomes using mixed methods.
 
Setting. Safety-net primary care clinic.
 
Participants. Clinic providers and staff; English- or Spanish-speaking clinic patients ages 18–75 yr with diabetes and a current hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥ 9.0%.
 
Intervention. Eight 1-hr individual sessions of LR–OT focused on diabetes management.
 
Outcomes and Measures. Clinical and health behavior outcomes were assessed via electronic medical record (EMR) review and self-report surveys of patients receiving LR–OT at initial evaluation and discharge. We assessed implementation outcomes (acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, fidelity, efficiency, and timeliness) using patient and staff surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observations.
 
Results. Seventy-three patients were offered LR–OT: 51 completed one or more sessions, and 38 completed the program. Clinical outcomes among program completers indicate beneficial changes in HbA1c, diabetes self-care, and health status. Implementation challenges included a need for patient and staff education, securing adequate workspace, and establishing a referral process. Factors contributing to implementation success included strong buy-in from clinic leadership, colocation, and shared EMR documentation.
 
Conclusions and Relevance. LR–OT is a feasible approach to enhancing service delivery and clinical outcomes in primary care.
 
What This Article Adds. This study provides insight into factors that may create challenges or contribute to the success of implementing occupational therapy services within primary health care settings. In addition, this study provides preliminary evidence of occupational therapy’s effectiveness in improving clinical outcomes among ethnically diverse, low-income patients with diabetes in a safety-net primary care setting.

Jordan, K. (2019). Occupational therapy in primary care: Positioned and prepared to be a vital part of the team [Editorial]. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73(5), 7305170010p1-7305170010p6. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2019.735002 Show abstract

Reilly’s (1962) now deeply cherished statement that “man, through the use of his hands, as they are energized by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health” (p. 1) was followed a few years later with a question to current and future occupational therapy practitioners. In 1966, Reilly asked how the profession would respond to the challenges of an expanding knowledge base, accelerating health care costs, and escalating regulatory burden. Visionary Wilma West, a contemporary of Reilly’s, expanded on these themes by focusing on ways occupational therapy practitioners could leverage the breadth and depth of their practice to confront these challenges. These issues are now paramount in the primary care arena. An expanding body of literature, including the articles in a special section in this issue of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, supports occupational therapy’s role as a vital part of the solution to contemporary health care challenges. Occupational therapy practitioners are educationally prepared and successfully poised through policy to engage in evidence-based practice in the primary care environment.

2014

Journal Articles

Koritzky, G., Dieterle, C., Rice, C., Jordan, K., & Bechara, A. (2014). Decision-making, sensitivity to reward and attrition in weight management. Obesity, 22(8), 1904-1909. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.20770 Show abstract

Objective. Attrition is a common problem in weight management. Understanding the risk factors for attrition should enhance professionals' ability to increase completion rates and improve health outcomes for more individuals. A model that draws upon neuropsychological knowledge on reward-sensitivity in obesity and overeating to predict attrition is proposed.
 
Methods. A total of 52 participants in a weight-management program completed a complex decision-making task. Decision-making characteristics-including sensitivity to reward-were further estimated using a quantitative model. Impulsivity and risk-taking measures were also administered.
 
Results. Consistent with the hypothesis that sensitivity to reward predicted attrition, program dropouts had higher sensitivity to reward than completers (P < 0.03). No differences were observed between completers and dropouts in initial BMI, age, employment status, or the number of prior weight-loss attempts (P ≥ 0.07). Completers had a slightly higher education level than dropouts, but its inclusion in the model did not increase predictive power. Impulsivity, delay of gratification, and risk taking did not predict attrition, either.
 
Conclusions. Findings link attrition in weight management to the neural mechanisms associated with reward-seeking and related influences on decision-making. Individual differences in the magnitude of response elicited by rewards may account for the relative difficulty experienced by dieters in adhering to treatment.

Reilly, J. M., Aranda, M. P., Segal-Gidan, F., Halle, A., Han, P. P., Harris, P., Jordan, K., Mulligan, R., Resnik, C., Tsai, K. Y., Williams, B., & Cousineau, M. R. (2014). Assessment of student interprofessional education (IPE) training for team-based geriatric home care: Does IPE training change students' knowledge and attitudes? Home Health Care Services Quarterly, 33(4), 177-193. https://doi.org/10.1080/01621424.2014.968502 Show abstract

Our study assesses changes in students' knowledge and attitudes after participation in an interprofessional, team-based, geriatric home training program. Second-year medical, physician assistant, occupational therapy, social work, and physical therapy students; third-year pharmacy students; and fourth-year dental students were led by interprofessional faculty teams. Student participants were assessed before and after the curriculum using an interprofessional attitudes learning scale. Significant differences and positive data trends were noted at year-end. Our study suggests that early implementation, assessment, and standardization of years of student training is needed for optimal interprofessional geriatric learning. Additionally, alternative student assessment tools should be considered for future studies.

2013

Journal Articles

Reingold, F. S., & Jordan, K. (2013). Obesity and occupational therapy [Position paper]. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67(Suppl. 6), S39-S46. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2013.67S39 Show abstract

Obesity is a significant and wide-ranging health and social problem in the United States. Occupational therapy is a health care profession that is qualified to provide interventions with individuals, groups, and society to effect change to promote optimum health. Occupational therapy services often are used directly and indirectly to influence weight management and related health concerns through attention to healthy lifestyle choices and engagement in fulfilling occupations. The purpose of this paper is to explain the position of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) to persons within and outside the profession on the role of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants in addressing the impact of obesity on people's ability to engage in daily activities.

2007

Journal Articles

Clark, F. A., Reingold, F. S., & Salles-Jordan, K. (2007). Obesity and occupational therapy [Position paper]. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61(6), 701-703. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.61.6.701 Show abstract

Obesity is a significant and wide-ranging health and social problem in the United States. Occupational therapy is a health care profession that is qualified to provide interventions with individuals, groups, and society to effect change to promote optimum health. Occupational therapy services are often used directly and indirectly to influence weight management and related health concerns through attention to lifestyle and engagement in fulfilling activities. The purpose of this paper is to explain to persons within and outside of the profession the role of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants in addressing the impact of obesity on people's ability to engage in daily activities.

Other Articles

Salles-Jordan, K. (2007, June). Community health promotion programs using USC Lifestyle Redesign. Special Interest Section Quarterly — Home & Community Health, 14(2), 1-4. Full text

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master's degree program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE). ACOTE c/o Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, (301) 652-6611 x2914, acoteonline.org

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for certification by National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT can be found online at https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx.