Are you wondering how future legislative issues and health care reform will impact physical therapy? To address some of your concerns, we recently had the opportunity to interview the President of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), Dr. Scott Ward. He addresses some of the health care reform and legislative initiatives the APTA plans to focus on in 2011 in this week’s podcast.
Dr. Ward believes physical therapists are in a good place when it comes to health care reform. He adds rehabilitation is included in health care reform essential services and the APTA played a key role in making that happen. The APTA continues to be a part of health care reform discussions and works to make the needs of physical therapists known to those who pass laws and form the regulations around those laws.
Dr. Ward encourages physical therapists to get involved by becoming a member of the APTA and joining their grassroots advocacy team, PTeam. APTA members can join PTeam by logging onto the advocacy portion of the APTA website.
Running a successful physical therapy clinic requires maintaining a steady stream of referrals, building last ing relationships and providing better patient outcomes. In his second podcast with PT Talker, Jeff Ostrowski, PT, and CEO of Excel Physical Therapy Services and Excel Consulting Crew shares some of his secrets to success and insight into the impact Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) may have on physical therapy.
One of the top issues faced by physical therapists is maintaining a constant stream of patients. Ostrowski believes the key to staying busy is to focus on providing an outstanding customer experience and positive patient outcomes. He adds that it’s important for physical therapists to keep in mind the inconveniences and costs patients often endure to receive care. Providing an experience that exceeds patient’s expectations helps ensure patients continue to come back for care and recommend your clinic to family and friends.
For physician referrals, Ostrowski recommends physical therapists look beyond selling a clinic’s features and benefits. Instead, he finds the secret to building lasting relationships is to take the time to really understand the needs of the physicians in your area and focus on providing the solutions physicians are looking for in order to provide the best possible patient outcomes.
Ostrowski also discusses the impact provider-controlled Accountable Care Organizations may have on physical therapy. To stay ahead of the changes on the horizon, Ostrowski recommends physical therapists begin networking with the large hospitals and medical groups in their area now as these organizations may become the Accountable Care Organizations in the future. Listen now to learn more tips for success and ways you can prepare your clinic for Accountable Care Organizations.
Jeff Ostrowski discusses how physical therapy clinics can remain competitive in the new healthcare arena[ 18:06 ]Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Physical therapy is the standard of care for individuals recovering from a stroke, knee surgery or hip replacement. Yet, individuals who undergo rigorous cancer treatment are often released from care without a rehabilitation plan in place. To help address this void, the American College of Surgeons has added rehabilitation as a survivorship requirement for all accredited programs and a number of recent studies like the PAL (Physical Activity and Lymphedema) show the benefits physical therapy and activity provides survivors. To discuss more on the topic, we’ve brought Wendy Price, PT, MS owner of Healthcore Physical Therapy and Pilates Studio back for a second podcast.
Recently elected to the oncology section board of the American Physical Therapy Association, Price believes oncology rehabilitation should be the standard of care for cancer survivors. Cancer survivors often experience fatigue, balance issues and other symptoms after treatment. She believes a comprehensive evaluation by a physical therapist and customized rehabilitation plan offers the best approach to help cancer survivors regain function, improve range of motion and enjoy the quality of life they enjoyed prior to cancer diagnosis. Listen now to learn more about incorporating oncology rehabilitation into your practice.
A passion for helping individuals overcome limitations and regain function is often the motivation behind starting a physical therapy clinic. Yet, many physical therapy clinic owners don’t always think of their practice as a business. Today’s expert makes a case for running a physical therapy clinic as a business. Jeff Ostrowski, PT, and CEO of Excel Physical Therapy Services and Excel Consulting Crew shares tips for providing outstanding patient care while focusing on your bottom line.
Despite the trend of lower payments for physical therapy services, Ostrowski is cautiously optimistic about the future of physical therapy. He believes physical therapy businesses need to learn how to do more with less, maximize the productivity of every physical therapist on staff and utilize marketing and branding to set their clinic apart. He shares details about innovative approaches like incentive plans designed to reward productive and efficient physical therapists and reasons why the best physical therapists are often the busiest. Listen now to find out more.
