By Terry C. Brown, PT, DPT
As my term as your president begins to wind down, I find myself reflecting on the past few years and all that has transpired. I’m not feeling so much nostalgic as grateful; this position has been a gift that has been given to me that no one really knew they were giving. I have had the pleasure of serving on the Private Practice Section (PPS) board of directors for the past 10 years: one year as a director, six as vice president, and now in my third year as president. As you can imagine and many of you have witnessed, much has changed over this time. The organization has grown and prospered, bringing new programs, ideas, and solutions to private practitioners in an ever-changing environment. The focus of PPS has broadened and become more inclusive, engaging nontraditional practices and entrepreneurs who are blazing new pathways. We as a Section have taken our place as leaders in vision and policy in the American Physical Therapy Association. We have come a long way in 10 years and we have just begun. I look forward to where you, our future leaders, will take us.
By Paul Gough, BSC (HONS), MCSP, SRP, HPC
If you are a physical therapy business owner, manager, or clinic director, the feeling of burnout is something that you are likely to be familiar with. Can you relate?
If you are working too hard, which can lead to burnout, the first thing you have to ask yourself is this: Do you have a “Who” problem or a “How” problem going on in your business?
Quality Payment Programs
By Alpha Lillstrom Cheng, JD, MA
July 7, 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. On behalf of the more than 4,200 members of the Private Practice Section, PPS regularly analyzes and provides stakeholder input in the form of “comments” to proposed rules that pertain to private practice physical therapy.
The right technology can improve operations and your bottom line.
By Brian J. Gallagher, PT*
In today’s world, we could not imagine running our private practice without the proper electronic medical record (EMR) system in place. Not that long ago many therapists’ documentation of sessions consisted of handwritten notes that were often illegible and/or incomplete. This made it difficult for coworkers and payers to review notes and get the accurate information needed about a patient’s care. We not only needed an improved system for documentation, but we also needed enhanced technology that could bring together multiple systems of control into one area. As a result, we now have a wide range of EMR systems available to us that offer scheduling, billing, and practice management solutions in one product. Another technology tool that can help us in our day-to-day practice is the use of virtual or video technology. But first, let’s start with EMR.
By David Allen | Reviewed by Michael Wilson, PT, DPT, OCS
In the current professional landscape, whether clinical or otherwise, the measure of success is often closely tied to an individual’s productivity. This obsession in our culture not only adds heightened stress but can also reduce our sense of well-being and satisfaction. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, by David Allen, is an excellent framework for managing this phenomenon while making space to enjoy life and family along the way. Although a brief summary cannot do this book justice, it may pique your interest to explore a new organizational strategy. Here is a highlight of the five main points:
1. Dumping. The Getting Things Done (GTD) system starts with the notion of removing information from our heads and strategically relocating it to a place where it can be trusted to resurface, precisely when and where we need it. There are two benefits of this technique. One benefit is we can better capture fleeting ideas without wasting time and energy trying to remember them. The other benefit is that, instead of putting our energy into recall, we can use it to develop strategic and innovative solutions.
