OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY CREATES PROFOUND IMPACTS ON CLIENT AND PATIENT LIVES

Margeaux Bartholomew-Carle
Occupational Therapist &
Chief Executive Officer, Ardant

PEOPLE IN HEALTH CARE
Filmed in Adelaide, South Australia | December 2024

In Australia, access to allied health services such as occupational therapy is increasingly challenging. Barriers like long wait times affect over 600,000 National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and 1.5 million aged care participants. With both cohorts expected to grow exponentially in coming years, the pressure on an already stretched system is set to increase.

Australian Health Journal met with one Occupational Therapist who encourages those entering the profession to embrace continuous learning and seek mentorship to maximise their impact on clients’ lives. Through her company she has a nation-wide mission to transform client access to allied health services like occupational therapy using artificial intelligence (AI).

Margeaux Bartholomew-Carle is an Adelaide based registered Occupational Therapist and the Founder and CEO of Ardant.

Throughout her career, Margeaux has worked in various settings, including aged care, disability, assistive technology, prescription, and mental health. This diverse experience has deepened her understanding of the different needs among client groups.

A significant turning point came when she worked as a solo practitioner and realised that the heavy administrative burden often kept her from important family moments, especially while her father was in the hospital with advanced prostate cancer.  This experience motivated her to establish Ardant, focused on enabling OTs to prioritise client care over administrative tasks.

Under her leadership, Ardant has created an all-in-one online practice management platform designed to reduce administrative burdens for independent occupational therapists across Australia, ultimately enhancing access to OT services and improving client outcomes.

Margeaux believes that the role of occupational therapists is gaining recognition, particularly with the introduction of the NDIS, but acknowledges there are persistent misconceptions about the profession. To raise awareness, she advocates for targeted campaigns to educate GPs, health professionals, and the public about the value of OT in primary healthcare.