Humans of OT: Laura Simmons

Humans of OT is series of profiles from some of OTA's members. They've shared their stories with us on topics such as how their OT career started, what they've achieved, what is most important to them about being an OTA member and more. Over the coming months we'll continue sharing these inspiring OT journeys. Profiled here is Laura Simmons.

"Know that some days might be challenging and others incredibly rewarding, but say yes to as many opportunities as possible, as you never know what’s around the next corner."

Could you tell us a bit about you and your work? 
I’ve worked as a paediatric occupational therapist in the private sector across Sydney for the last ten years, most recently working as a mobile and telehealth practitioner. I absolutely love working out in the community and am an avid believer in the hybrid model of healthcare. Five years ago, I also founded Theratrak, a digital platform that supports allied health professionals to create and track custom therapy programs for people accessing therapy services. 

What achievements in your life/career are you most proud of? 
Starting my own business and launching a technology company is my proudest achievement. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I’d have an app in the app store that has impacted people in multiple countries around the world. It’s amazing to know that over 10,000 activities have been sent on Theratrak and that the technology is helping people get access to therapy services faster, with 88% of our users getting their first program within seven days of being added to the platform.

What’s your advice for someone looking to start their own practice or move into a leadership role?  
The leap of faith into these roles is the scariest part. Every leader and practice owner didn’t know what they were doing before they did it, but if you can surround yourself with mentors and support networks like OTA, you will have a plethora of women and men who have ridden this path before and will be more than happy to share their experiences and advice.  

If you could give your 18-year-old self some advice on building an OT career, what would it be? 
Definitely patience and persistence. I would tell myself that it’s okay not to know all the answers yet and be open to the experiences that your OT journey will take you on. Know that some days might be challenging and others incredibly rewarding, but say yes to as many opportunities as possible, as you never know what’s around the next corner. 

Can you tell us about attending the AOTA conference in April and what Theratrak's 'Inventor's Showcase' win means to you?
Theratrak was selected as one of five startups to pitch at the American Occupational Therapy Association's (AOTA) inventors showcase. Every year the American OT conference sets aside one session where startups can pitch their company/idea to a panel of judges. The scale of the American OT conference is very big – there were around 9,000 OTs and students this year, which is just so exciting to see.

In the session, we had an opportunity to speak about our innovation for five minutes, and then the judges could ask five minutes’ worth of questions. I spoke about Theratrak's impact in Australia and how OTs were using the platform to streamline their processes and build better engagement with therapy activities in the communities. I also spoke about my hopes for Theratrak to expand to the US in the future. The other inventions were amazing, from a patented rolling pencil stamp to VR music and dance therapy. It was super exciting to see American OTs get excited about innovation and new therapy methods, and I got to connect with so many OTs doing incredible things. Part of the prize for winning was tickets to next year's conference in Florida. I can't wait to go back and learn more about the US and how our health systems are so different yet experience so many of the same issues.

Can you tell us about your recent Sidney Myer Fellowship win and how this will assist your endeavours?
The Sidney Myer Fellowship aims to support breakthrough solutions to Australia's most pressing social and environmental challenges. It offers a unique opportunity to three fellows for 12 months to support them in working on their social impact business. This is an incredible opportunity for both me and Theratrak to grow. I think programs like this provide a unique opportunity to support me to grow my entrepreneurial skills alongside my clinical skills.

My goal with the program is to further build out Theratrak's platform to support more therapists and participants in Australia and expand internationally. So far, the program has been incredible at connecting me to some fantastic industry experts and mentors to help me grow my business. As an OT, we learn how to be OTs in school, but I'm always working to build my business management skills because there can be no purpose without profit.

What are the benefits of belonging to OTA that are the most important to you?
Being part of OTA means being part of a community of like-minded humans. OTA has connected a network of therapists across Australia on the same mission to support people to live their most independent lives. The benefit that stands out for me is the connection to the community – attending conferences and learning from other OTs. While OTs are just one part of the allied health world, we have such an impact on people’s lives and with the support of the OTA, we can be empowered to do more and work smarter.