ADVANCE Perspective: Physical Therapy

Don’t Miss Out!

2009-11-17T13:08:00Z

The deadline to be featured in our 2010 print Buyers' Guide is fast approaching. Visit our home page, click on "Annual Buyers' Guide" and sign up for your FREE listing by this Friday, November 20th . The annual Buyers' Guide, which appears online and in the December 28th print issue, is a comprehensive guide to equipment and services used in physical therapy and rehabilitation, and provides valuable sales leads for your company. Informed decision-makers turn to this beneficial resource all year long...(read more)

Will the Senate Follow Suit?

2009-11-09T22:29:00Z

The health care reform legislation that was approved by the House of Representatives on Saturday has attached high hopes to a very large price tag-the bill would cost $1.1 trillion over 10 years and reduce the federal deficit by $104 billion. Senator Joe Lieberman, an Independent Democrat from Connecticut, was quoted as saying, "I believe the debt can break America and send us into a recession that's worse than the one we're fighting our way out of today." Clearly such a statement resonates with...(read more)

New and Improved

2009-11-02T16:48:00Z

Arguably, the best changes are ones that are subtle but make a big impact. To that end I would like to welcome our readers to ADVANCE for Physical Therapy and Rehab Medicine , a new and improved version of the national physical therapy newsmagazine that serves your profession. We're expanding our focus in ADVANCE to include more coverage of practice management, sports medicine, modalities, equipment on the market and many other topics of special interest to all those involved in the physical therapy...(read more)

Senate Blocks Proposed Medicare Bill

2009-10-26T17:14:00Z

On Oct. 21, the Senate voted against a motion that would have brought S. 1776, the Medicare Physicians Fairness Act of 2009, to the floor for debate. According to the Oct. 23 PT Bulletin from APTA , the motion failed by a vote of 47 to 53, which stopped further consideration of the bill. The opposing votes included 13 Democrats, who were concerned that the $245 billion cost of the bill was not offset. The legislation, introduced last week by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), would have eliminated the...(read more)

Wii for the World Record

2009-10-20T13:17:00Z

The top story on CNNhealth.com today reads, "Seniors Wii bowl for world record and for health." According to the Guinness World Records, a world record was recently set in Houston, TX--for the world's largest senior citizen Wii bowling tournament! The Houston area's largest Medicare HMO--TexanPlus--put on the event, which drew 600 senior bowlers. The event served to encourage seniors to get stronger and fitter to help prevent falls. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that falls...(read more)

Deciding Where to Live and Work

2009-10-12T13:37:00Z

How much does the outlook on physical therapy jobs affect where you live and work? This month, AfterCollege.com researched the top metro areas across the country to for people looking for jobs in physical therapy. ( See the full story here .) They looked at entry-level jobs as well as jobs from orher media to find cities with the most employers, and they also included the Bureau of Labor Statistics for unemployment data for each area. The list of the top 10 cities and surrounding areas for entry-level...(read more)

APTA Submits Statement on Act to Improve PT Services for Veterans

2009-10-05T16:44:00Z

On Oct. 1, the APTA submitted a Statement for the Record to the Committee on Veteran Affairs, noted Volume 10, Issue 39 of PT Bulletin Online . This committee held a hearing on HR 1036, the Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act, introduced by Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-SD). The bill will take the Physical Therapy Qualification Standards instituted in February by Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric K. Shinseki and make them law, as well as create a Director of Physical Therapy...(read more)

Fashion and Compassion

2009-10-01T12:35:00Z

Beth Israel Medical Center (BIMC) in New York City has been named the beneficiary of an initiative set in motion by world renowned designer, Donna Karan. When her husband, Stephan Weiss, lost his battle with cancer just over eight years ago, Karan was moved to take action. "I am determined to do what I can to create a new model for wellness and patient care, and to address the needs of patients' loved ones and the staff who are on the journey with them," Karan shared. Through her own foundation,...(read more)

New Medical Staff Might Be Bad For Your Health

2009-09-28T13:04:00Z

Starting a new job in emergency medicine? You may want to be extra careful on your first day. Research from Imperial College London states that the death rate is higher among patients admitted to English hospitals on the first Wednesday in August--the day new grads typically start their first day of work. Specifically, the death rate among patients was 6 percent higher on this day than patients who were admitted the last Wednesday in July. From 2000 to 2008, scientists analyzed approximately 300,000...(read more)

Breaking New Ground

2009-09-15T18:14:00Z

On the day before the 8th anniversary of 9/11, I witnessed the groundbreaking for a new Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center campus in what proved to be an inspirational and patriotic ceremony. Stephanie, a former resident at the Pediatric Center, led the crowd of more than 200 philanthropists, board members, patients and staff and administration in the Pledge of Allegiance . Next the Pediatric Center's staff choir-led by one of the center's music therapists-performed rousing renditions of The Star-Spangled...(read more)

APTA Comments on Fee Schedule and Outpatient Rules

2009-09-08T14:14:00Z

According to the APTA's Sept. 4 PT Bulletin Online ( http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Current_Issue#article63798 ), the organization recently submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on the proposed 2010 Medicare physician fee schedule. APTA encouraged CMS to adopt its proposal to use the physician practice information survey data to calculate practice expense relative value units. In addition, APTA urged CMS to remove physician-administered drugs from...(read more)

The Return of the H1N1 Flu

2009-09-02T17:21:00Z

Worried about the H1N1 flu? You're not alone. According to a recent national poll, the number of worried Americans has more than doubled since May. "Back in May, concerns about the flu were ebbing because flu season in the U.S. was nearing its end," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland told CNN. "But the flu didn't go away-it just moved to other places around the world. Now a new flu season is starting, and worries about H1N1 are back." Most Americans have confidence that the government would be...(read more)

SpongeBob Goes to Therapy

2009-08-28T21:34:00Z

During a roundtable discussion at Weisman Children's Rehabilitation Hospital in Marlton, NJ, I learned that the therapists who work there are wise indeed. The pediatric rehab facility's physical, occupational and speech therapists feel passionate about studying up on "kid culture." The therapists stressed the importance of knowing what their patients--who range in age from birth to 18--are interested in. Whether it's tuning in to the latest cartoon, knowing the latest in iPod technology, reading...(read more)

Now for Something Completely Different

2009-08-24T17:30:00Z

ADVANCE is already receiving some nice feedback about our Aug. 10, 2009, cover story on therapists who entered the profession later in life, many after following established careers in other fields for years. The story, "Late Bloomers," tracked several therapists into their moves into the profession. The subjects found by freelance writer Lauren Fritsky had diverse careers, from manual labor to surgical technology. They expressed a desire to do something "more meaningful," as one newly minted PT...(read more)

Breaking Down Cultural Barriers

2009-08-18T14:25:00Z

On a recent visit to Seattle Children's Hospital in Seattle, WA, I learned about some of the health care challenges faced by American Indians and Alaska Natives living in both urban and rural settings in the United States. Serving as the pediatric referral hospital for Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho, Seattle Children's has a unique perspective on providing care to a large area with diverse populations. Millions of American Indians and Alaska Natives living in or near cities face significant...(read more)