The Back Story

O.T. Wizard was created by Stephanie Wick, a pediatric occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience working in public schools, charter schools, and as managing director for Learning Charms Occupational Therapy services.

The Problem that O.T. Wizards Solves

Pediatric occupational therapists face increasing challenges that take time away from direct patient care:

• Declining reimbursement rates and stalled wages due to reduced Medicaid and Commercial insurance fee schedules
• Growing administrative burden from insurance documentation requirements
• Extensive paperwork and compliance demands
• Limited access to quality, research-based assessment and evaluation tools

These pressures leave therapists frustrated and unable to focus on what matters most: helping children succeed.

Development History

2019 - Initial Development O.T. Wizard began as an effort to create better assessment tools for pediatric therapists. The initial system produced automated preschool screenings and evaluations that improved upon traditional "checklist" style templates.  Later systems focused on creating flows and automations using Google products and extensions.

Research Validation After creating over 7,000 screenings and evaluations, the data underwent Rasch analysis. Results demonstrated that O.T. Wizard assessments achieved sensitivity levels comparable to standardized assessment tools such as the Beery VMI and Peabody tests, while significantly reducing administration time.

2022-2025 - Rebuild and Testing Based on these findings, O.T. Wizard was completely rebuilt from the ground up. A pilot group of therapists tested version 1.0-2.0 over a two-year period to refine functionality and validate clinical effectiveness.

Clinical Evidence

Pilot Study Results (September 2025)

Over a 6-week period, the pilot team generated over 500 comprehensive evaluations using O.T. Wizard. Key outcomes included:

• Clear documentation: Evaluations provided both objective and subjective data meeting medical justification standards
• Insurance authorization rate: 499 out of 500 evaluations (99.8%) received prior authorization from insurance providers
• Historical comparison: The 0.2% denial rate represented a dramatic improvement from the previous year's 20% denial rate using traditional methods
• Clinical utility: Therapists typically incorporated approximately 50% of O.T. Wizard's suggested goals into actual treatment plans

Research Foundation

O.T. Wizard is built on evidence-based practices and designed to align with:

• ICF-CY (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health - Children & Youth) framework
• Rasch measurement principles for psychometrically sound assessments
• State Department of Public Instruction (DPI) requirements
• Health insurance clinical coverage policies
• Current research in pediatric therapy assessment
  
• FERPA compliance
  
• HIPAA Compliance

Our Mission

O.T. Wizard helps pediatric occupational therapists reclaim their time and focus on clinical care rather than administrative burden. By providing research-validated, efficient assessment and documentation tools, we enable therapists to serve more children effectively while maintaining the highest standards of clinical practice.

Platform Information

O.T. Wizard has migrated to version 2.0 architecture to improve performance, scalability, and user experience. The platform is designed for use by pediatric occupational therapy practitioners .

Stephanie Wick- enjoying her free time and a dinner plate Dahlia