By Michelle Collie, PT, DPT, MS, OCS
Health care continues to evolve, and despite many people’s concerns I believe the future of private practice physical therapy has the potential to be excellent. However, ongoing research demonstrating the effectiveness and value of physical therapy, providing excellent care, and getting results, are unfortunately not the only drivers for a future of success. Strategic marketing and (public relations) PR must be utilized to ensure that our value and our role in health care is messaged, so our practices and profession can thrive.
By Stacy M. Menz, PT, DPT, PCS
This issue of Impact focuses on the customer. In the physical therapy profession, regardless of our practice areas, each patient represents a unique set of needs and circumstances that must be looked at as a whole. Only in this way can we provide true customer service that will keep our customers coming back and prompt word-of-mouth referrals.
Bundled Payment Program
By Alpha Lillstrom Cheng, JD, MA
June 6, 2017
As you know, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for developing, proposing, and finalizing regulations in order to implement health care–related legislation that has been passed by Congress and signed into law. The regulatory process consists of publishing proposed rules for public viewing and requesting stakeholder input in the form of “comments.” On behalf of our over 4,200 members, the Private Practice Section (PPS) regularly analyzes and responds to regulatory activity that pertains to private practice physical therapy.
In recent years, payment for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries has been moving away from the standard fee-for-service model and toward payment on the basis of quality; therefore, regulatory proposals relevant to the practice of and payment for physical therapy care have been increasing in number and complexity. This year three such rules will go into effect. In the March issue of Impact, this column covered the changes in the 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), which resulted in payment adjustments for care provided by physical therapists and other providers who are paid under the fee schedule. In this column, I will discuss the planned expansion of the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) bundling program and the impact this policy could have on physical therapists in private practice.
A three-facet plan.
By Kim Stamp
In the health care field, it feels like a paradigm shift to view patients as customers, but that is exactly what we need to do if our goal is to build a successful private practice. Unlike a physician- or hospital-owned practice, we do not have a built-in referral source and must rely on a patient’s willingness to choose our practice for their rehabilitation. If we do not take the time to focus on creating a memorable customer experience, we are missing the mark and quite possibly stunting the growth of our clinics. So, let’s take a look at how we can craft the ultimate customer experience for our patients.
