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 ...

After much sweat and tears this past semester, I've finally managed to finish my three online classes for my DPT with a month to spare. It was perhaps the most challenging semester so far, with a class titled ''Direct Access.'' Having worked 20-plus years for healthcare systems, I was quite comfortable with seeing patients who were required by ...

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 ...

Physical therapists who haven't been paying attention to the legislative battle raging in California might want to start. As the APTA detailed in its Aug. 30 press release, ''In California, a Rough Ride for Senate Bill 924,'' the latest salvo was just fired: ''California physical therapists have been infuriated by the legislative wrangling that ...

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 ...

We recently had a representative from the APTA speak to our class about the structure of the organization, as well as some current legislative topics that are on the radar within physical therapy. What sparked my interest most was the prospect of PT being added to the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) list of eligible professionals to benefit ...