Once occupational therapy (OT) has concluded, some patients may benefit from some form of continued rehabilitation or education program, such as a home exercise plan or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Occupational therapists also may design a home program for energy conservation or compensation strategies to help with activities of daily living (ADLs). Programs may be modified or discontinued according to the degree of improvement the patient experiences.

A relapse of a painful condition (e.g., workplace injury, lupus) may in some cases prompt a physician to again prescribe occupational therapy. Certain medications, such as anti-inflammatories, may be prescribed by a physician to reduce pain and inflammation.

Patients may be scheduled for periodic evaluations to monitor their conditions. OTs may need to adjust a hand splint or adapt a program as the patient's condition changes over time. Physicians may make follow-up referrals for occupational therapy after their examination.