Physical Assistant Summary

This frees up the physician’s schedule to see only the medically necessary patients, whereas PTs can share the load of musculoskeletal evaluations. Mitchell and Lissovoy published a study in 1994 on the cost effectiveness of direct access to PTs. They found that the costs for PT visits were 123% higher when patients were first seen by a physician as compared to when they were seen by a physical therapist directly. Establishing close working relationships between medical doctors and PTs, with a 2-way referral of patients, is essential to reduce not only unnecessary referrals, but also improve patient satisfaction and create an efficient process for reducing overall medical costs.

Your speed doesn’t matter, forward is forward. No matter where you are, life can give you a second chance. So, within every step back it is possible to take a step forward. No one is ever alone. Someone is always there to help when feelings of hopeless negatives sets in. Physical Therapist Assistants are necessary in hopeless situations to give you an ability to continue moving forward onto your full potential. A Physical Therapist Assistant can help you to manage someone else’s life, so that they can continue with life among the trouble that they have faced.

Again, I see the mistake of both PT and PTA. Texas Physical therapy examiner rules says it is the professional responsibility of the PT to reexamine and reevaluate the patient at the minimum of once every 60 days after treatment has initiated.2 Likewise it is also mentioned in Texas Physical Therapy examiners rule that PTA may not continue the provision of physical therapy treatment if the PT has not performed a reevaluation.2 Under the provision of supervision, all level of supervision requires some form of communication, telecommunication being the least.3 However, no form of communication took place between the PT and

All PT’s follow the SOAP note format to document patient visits. SOAP notes were created to help keep consistency through the field and to keep patient records organized and secure. SOAP notes are written to help the PT critically think about the next step in their client’s rehabilitation process. The format is used “to communicate information to other providers of care, to provide evidence of patient contact and to inform the Clinical Reasoning process” (Lowe “SOAP Notes”). SOAP documentations aid in informing and proving PT’s work. The content is straight to the point and remains strictly factual which causes shorter sentences. SOAP stands for subjective, objective, assessment, and plan (Lowe “SOAP Notes”). Each section aides in formulating an evaluation of the client’s visit. A PT uses APA citation if they

Physical therapy is defined as the treatment of an injury, disease, or deformity by physical means and methods such as exercise, hot or cold treatments, and/or massage rather than a pharmaceutical method such as opioids or the surgical route. Physical therapy much like other healthcare professions is a patient based profession in which the healthcare professional and the patient are in contact with each other frequently. This contact between the professional (the physical therapist assistant in this case) and the patient can propose issues that could challenge the physical therapist assistant’s morals, ethics, and/or professionalism. These challenges made it apparent that there needed to be guidelines for the professionalism a physical therapist assistant must follow and be aware of, which led to the development of the 8 value-based behaviors.

Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) signed into law in March 2010, a few things have changed in the provision of physical therapy services, in specific productivity standards and reimbursement in outpatient physical therapy clinics. The Affordable Care Act has resulted in an increased demand for physical therapy services primarily due to the construction of the Health Insurance Marketplace. This created new health insurance options to help Americans acquire health insurance, who previously were not able to afford it. Although the ACA is a very extensive and complex piece of legislation, it has ultimately resulted in more individuals who are eligible for physical therapy services. This increased demand not only comes from the ACA but also from reimbursement cuts from insurance companies, subsequently causing physical therapists to overload their schedules as a means to offset these cuts. These demands are without factoring in the aging baby boomer population, which is expected to increased the physical therapist need by 30% from 2008 to 2018 (cite). Physical therapy is about providing the best patient care, however patient care is also a business and businesses are centered on revenue. Below are some of the current proposed solutions along with personal solutions and insight on the productivity issue.

I became a licensed PTA shortly after the start of my employment in October of 2015. Since then my case load has been steadily expanding. DHDPT is a privately owned out-patient clinic. As a PTA at DHDPT, I am exposed to a variety of patient types ranging from all ages. My employment opportunity at DHDPT has allowed me treat a significant number high school and collegiate athletes. A vast majority of my daily case load includes postoperative orthopedic patients. In August of 2016, I began working PRN at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center (TRMC) in acute care and in-patient rehab to further refine my skills as a PTA. This allowed me more exposure to different patient types such as those with neurological

This case study is about a patient, T.C., who I treated while a physical therapy assistant at an acute rehabilitation hospital. T.C. had terminal spinal cancer and at the time of admission had a fair prognosis to maintain function and strength enough to be discharged to his daughter’s home with home health care and family support, and he wanted to eventually go back to his own apartment. He was using a wheelchair as he was partially paralyzed from the waist down, and was able to use a transfer board to transfer from his wheelchair to bed and back.

In the future, I see myself as being a physical therapist assistant. I am interested in this career choice because I enjoy fitness and helping others improve their life. Being able to see a person making progress and being a part of that process is an amazing feeling. I want to be able to use being a PTA as a platform to touch someone’s life in a positive way. Working as a PTA, I would need to be able to work with physical therapist to help people with lack of mobility.

As a practicing physical therapist in the state of Georgia, and over 35 years of clinical experience in this healthcare field, I am writing to you today to gain the support of your insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGA) in the recent achievement of direct access for physical therapists in Georgia. Currently, patients in the state of Georgia now have direct access to physical therapists without the requirement of a physician referral; however under the current health care system physical therapists are still prevented from providing necessary medical treatment to patients, on the account of that services rendered under direct access are not reimbursed by BCBSGA. This extra step places a burden to the consumer by increasing

Three factors that create the need for screening are side effects of medicine, comorbidities and Visceral pain mechanisms (Goodman & Snyder, 2013). Physical therapists as direct access providers, have the responsibility to communicate with attending physicians when one of these factors are obvious or even suspected in a patient. Each factor can affect the outcome of a plan of care.

Wee seek an outstanding PT to join our award-winning PT program. At Newport General Hospital, you will serve as a valued member OF A multidisciplinary tem. You will work with all types of patients under the supervision of a physical therapist. You assist and supervise patients in rehabilitative exercises. You will also provide heat, light, ultrasound, and massage treatments.

Accordingly, altruism became a mainstay. Proctoring physical therapists indoctrinated the fundamental that you put every need of a patient before your own, and always shooting for a higher level of care than the majority would accept. Specifically, they would always let patients come in on occasions separate from their appointments and utilize the exercise equipment as required. As the intern, building a priority to support all patients that came in with total guidance and instruction became predominant. This leads to the other key to professionalism, humility. During my internship, constant quizzing ingrained that you constrain the need to answer every question. Giving a “best guess” will lead to negative repercussions. Correspondingly, observations of the physical therapists themselves refer innumerable times to other professionals; be it the patient’s doctor, another therapist, or a dietitian. Seeing how various physical therapists operated also reinforced the belief of professional duty. The pride every therapist had in the profession, the mentoring that each provided, and the amount of work put towards every patient left my mind with a profound impression. Equally important, the consciousness of unspoiled care and compassion. Listening to other undergraduates and professors explain that you would have “problem patients”; this idea became entrenched in my head when starting. Contrarily, their concepts never materialized. Wanting to help the patients that had numerous struggles, or purely had countless debilitating injuries constituted as the goal. Contemplating unique exercises, finer cues, or improved ways to motivate perpetuated my evenings. Moreover; considering a patient ingenuously as a “knee”, or “rotator cuff”, or even just a patient was never a possibility. They were always people and people with their own particular

On September 8th, 2015, I first began interning for Dr. Dawn Cox and her staff of experienced Physical Therapists at PRANA Functional Manual Therapy in Lancaster, PA as a Physical Therapy Aide. Intermittently, on the first day of my internship, I would ask the therapists “Why choose Physical Therapy as a profession?” One of the Physical Therapists conveyed that aside from the substantial benefits a job provides, it was the intangible materials that gave the profession a meaning. As a student exploring the field of Physical Therapy, I have infallibly witnessed professionalism at PRANA and other Physical Therapy facilities through the therapists’ altruism towards patients -without violating ethical practices as professionals; their apposite use of communication with each individual at the workplace; and their sense of accountability when things go unforeseen.

Being an aspiring student in a physical therapy program has driven me to embody the core values stated by the APTA and demonstrated by my coworkers. Working in the medical field means the well being of others is in your hands. The level of responsibility and accountability required is monumental, and you must be willing to step up to the task. Whereas many students only hold themselves accountable for their own benefit, as a DPT student, you must demonstrate initiative because your actions no longer affect just yourself. First and foremost, you must be responsible in the classroom. Prior to practice, a solid foundation of education and knowledge is critical. One should exercise due diligence in saturating themselves with the knowledge necessary to care for a patient in a safe, timely, and efficient