Literature reviews, reading case reports, contemplating how to approach this case study, gathering sources for a case report. A hectic week has kept me on my toes, as I work in an extremely busy outpatient department and juggle my school responsibilities, family and what's left of my ''social life.'' This is the time of year when many fundraising ...

The first week at a different rehabilitation center has proven to catch me off guard, by giving me much to think about while I attempt to absorb the complexity of the entire situation. As the first manager of a busy rehabilitation center, I'm attempting to embrace the process of workflow that's in place. This includes trying to keep our patients ...

Pate Rehabilitation, Dallas, TX, issued a press release Nov. 28 announcing the launch of a new Spanish program as part of its evidence-based treatment and support for individuals recovering from acquired brain injuries. According to the release, ''this comprehensive linguistic and cultural approach maximizes the benefits of brain injury ...

I'm embarrassed to say it, but it wasn't until last week that I finally got a grasp of the Affordable Care Act and specifically its implications for the future of physical therapy. As part of our ''Evidence-Based Practice'' coursework, Everette James, director of the Health Policy Institute at the University of Pittsburgh, addressed our class ...

As a therapist and candidate for a doctorate in physical therapy, I have several opportunities to speak up and make a statement for the patients we treat on a daily basis. Over the past year and a half, I've learned it is in our scope of practice to make the determination if a physician's orders are appropriate or justified for our patients. Just ...

It has been a very busy week preparing, as best we could, for the changes we're currently experiencing. Working in a hospital-based, outpatient rehabilitation center, there had never been a dollar restriction on the visits allowed through straight Medicare. Beginning Oct. 1, we've been making patients aware of the amount they've used since ...

October 1 is just around the corner from now, and with it will bring changes to the allowances of physical therapy services for our Medicare population (along with occupational and speech therapy). I'd like to think that as a healthcare professional, we've always provided services that were medically necessary. With a cap of $1880, we are ...

A long, worrisome spring and fall has left our healthcare system 51 employees smaller. Rumors ran amuck throughout every facility and department, causing stress and anxiety. Our system was at risk of being placed on the auction block to the highest bidder, which would have been a private institution. However, we were able to avoid our worst fears. ...

The first week of summer vacation has been relatively quiet. The most excitement has been switching from satellite to digital television in my home. Timing is everything. With Tropical Storm Debby hitting Florida, satellite would have been interrupted, so digital television was a great choice. Perfect timing, especially, because the flu bug has ...

Whew!! What a busy week... seems I've been saying that more and more these days. As this month rolls on, I am preparing to help my health care system close one outpatient department where I work as the interim director. Thankfully, an inpatient manager has been hired and is taking over by consolidating therapists, managing schedules, working on ...