Were you aware that there are 54.8 million people in the U.S. receiving Social Security benefits? That is 17.6% of our population. With the baby boomer generation adding to those numbers daily, the fund could be depleted by 2033.   Began in 1935 by Congress to provide ''old age benefits'' for families, workers and employers ...

Those are two powerful words in healthcare today -- ''accessible'' and ''affordable.'' We (healthcare providers) need to be accessible and affordable to patients in order to provide care, period. Those two words don't even begin to address quality or evidence-based care, but simply allow patients the opportunity to receive care. This concept is ...

The dining room table no longer is clear. It's covered with journal articles, the Guide to PT Practice, and numerous notes from all of the classes I've completed so far. With the final two classes upon me, I'm feeling quite a bit overwhelmed and I'm not sure why. Previous classes have been quite challenging, and now that I have to incorporate all ...

From the moment we set foot in a facility, we're on the move. We're expected to be productive throughout our day by billing patients for our services. We make it rain for the facility but aren't always recognized for it. When I see every other department in a healthcare setting, they usually take up space and use resources that cost the facility ...

If I had any doubt that patient-focused healthcare was a thing of the past, I don't anymore. Last weekend, a situation arose that showed me charging for services was more important than patient care. I work full-time at one facility and help out at another. The second facility is an hour drive away by highway. It fell to me because I'm the only ...

A friend of mine posted on Facebook today, ''I've maxed out my health insurance deductible, in-network bills are on them now.'' What an interesting state of affairs when we're tempted to congratulate someone for being unwell enough to warrant full payment for health care costs. My only fear is that we're in May. What if they hit their maximum ...

Question for you:  How do you find your medical provider? The most obvious of answers to this question is our dear friend, Google. What was life like before this search engine giant? I don't remember. I mean, seriously, who doesn't google twenty things throughout the course of the day? The truth is, however, there ...

As I'm settling more and more into my current clinical rotation on a traumatic brain injury inpatient rehab unit, opportunities are more frequently coming around to develop hands-on clinical skills. Obviously, a lot of what we do revolves around functional mobility. What that really means is I'm finally getting the chance to practice gait and ...

  Well as I mentioned in my last blog I have retired as a COTA. I don't miss getting up in the mornings to get ready for work, but I already miss meeting and working with people. That was one of the key matters considered as this decision was made because I knew it would leave a blank in my life.   As much as there were always a few ...

As the dust begins to settle from separating one department into two, this extended break from school allows me to get a grasp on what being a manager really entails in an outpatient rehabilitation facility. From balancing payroll to juggling hours in three disciplines to staying productive, to completing performance appraisals and performing ...