Shades of Gray
By Stacy M. Menz, PT, DPT, PCS
Compliance, legal, and Advocacy—three heavy hitters in the physical therapy profession. Also, three topics that we have had the most requests for more information on. When we had our planning meeting for 2017, one of my favorite tasks was to create the calendar and line up the topics. I was excited with the name for this month (Shades of Gray-ish) and to see what came of this issue and how it would unfold. I am impressed with the caliber of the writing and the topics of the articles. I found them to be informative without being dry (which could easily have happened in this issue given the details involved with some of the topics). I actually found myself looking forward to working on our practice’s compliance plan!
Advocacy is another area that I have recently become more involved in. New presidential administrations bring change and new challenges, and I want to stay ahead of the curve on that. I can be a catalyst for positive change in our industry. Owning a pediatric practice, I work closely with individuals with disabilities and am concerned with how they will be affected by the new administration. I don’t know how it will play out, but I am watching closely and making sure my voice and the voices of my patients are being heard since they will feel the effects of changes to the Affordable Care Act, changes to Medicaid, and changes to how the Department of Education is run.
I know we all have areas of health care we are concerned about and are fighting for. I believe that we can make a difference and that our voice and actions are important. How are you using your voice, and how are you taking action? Are you reaching out and talking to your representatives in Congress? Are you attending town hall meetings? Have you supported local grassroots efforts? I encourage each and every one of you to take action and be an advocate in the areas that are close to your heart. I would love to hear your stories about how you have taken action as an advocate for your patients and/or your practice.
