Consider integrating health and wellness coaching into your practice to improve patient compliance and outcomes.
By Linda Gogl, PT, DPT, OCS, CWC, CWP
Health care providers now practice in a rapidly changing landscape. In fact, the ground is shifting beneath our feet. To remain successful and profitable as a business and practitioner in America we are forced to navigate through uncharted waters manning the helm as best we can and attempting to “stay steady as she goes.”
The Affordable Care Act and other payer reforms are changing how health care is delivered and reimbursed—rewarding organizations that can deliver better patient-level results while often treating a greater volume. Much of this has been driven by the climbing cost of health care and has prompted a new model of delivering care with a focus on timely results. Health care providers are now held accountable for practice outcomes and will be reimbursed according to efficiency and skills in producing those outcomes.1
By Terry Brown, PT, DPT
As I start this column, I realize I will need to come up with 33 topics over the course of the next three years that will not bore you to death. I will do my best, while you drink your coffee.
First, what a great conference we had last November, at a great venue, with great speakers and great people. I am pumped! The challenges may loom large, but this group is poised to take on and win those challenges. The private practice physical therapist is best positioned to win the battle for health care dollars in the next decade, and PPS is positioned to be your best advocate with cutting edge education, an aggressive legislative agenda, and collaborations that facilitate business.
By Bill Pfister Jr, PT, MPT, CLT
I look forward to January for three reasons. The first reason is because I am guaranteed at least two parties: my birthday and New Year’s Eve. The second reason is the Graham Sessions because they bring together some of the brightest minds in physical therapy and stimulate innovation and creativity in our profession. Third, and just as important as the previous two, is that I get to evaluate a complete year of clinic(s) performance data. The data is designed to answer the simple question of “How did we do?” Or the slightly more complicated question of “How did we do this year compared to last?” These important questions cannot be answered by data alone, but rather interpretation of the data through reflection.
Dear Editor:
The Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield CareCore (TRCC) program affects clinics in Oregon and Washington, but the ramifications affect all outpatient physical therapists.
The program is administered by a utilization management company called Landmark Healthcare. Customers of Landmark are health insurance companies that are looking for ways to reduce medical costs. TRCC’s rationale for introducing this program is to address increasing charges for physical therapy services. The primary function of TRCC is to reduce utilization of physical therapy treatments. TRCC has been put into place to restrict and limit access to physical therapy.
Are you racing to the bottom or climbing to the top?
By Kevin Hulsey, PT, DPT
Have you ever been a patient? Many physical therapists (PTs) have been a patient. Many PTs have experienced significant injuries during their lifetime. In fact, many PTs are drawn to the profession after having a great physical therapy experience following a significant injury.
