This is the first in a series of sessions regarding Alternative Payment Methods (APMs).

Course Description

Payment reform is underway, and the health care system is shifting away from fee-for-service to value-based payment. A value-based payment model is often referred to as an alternative payment model, or an APM. It is important for PTs and PTAs to understand the basic concepts of APMs, including the types of APMs, and how APMs generate efficiency and encourage better patient outcomes. This course will review the opportunities available for physical therapists participate in Medicare APMs, including Advanced APMs under the Quality Payment Program.

Meet our Presenter

Kara Gainer joined APTA in 2017 and provides leadership and strategic direction to the regulatory affairs team on key programs, initiatives, and policy development in the federal regulatory space. She has extensive knowledge and experience working on policies related to Medicare, Medicaid, health care reform, and provider billing and reimbursement. Prior to joining APTA, Kara was a health care consultant with Drinker Biddle & Reath, where she developed and executed comprehensive public policy strategies for her clients that integrated legislative, regulatory, and communications efforts. She also served as attorney advisor for the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals, and clerked with the US Senate Sergeant at Arms. Kara received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Montana and law degree from the University of Montana, School of Law, and is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.

Devastating wounds and their resultant scars are highly prevalent afflictions among those who risk their lives in combat. From small scale pathologies to full loss of limb, there is an enormous variety of scar types and presentations, but all share the common factor of serving as a daily visual reminder of potentially devastating trauma.

This recorded, knowledge-based webinar will encompass the source, progression, and potential treatments of scarring seen in both active military and veterans wounded while serving our country. It will delve into which scars can be treated, when they should be treated, how lasers have revolutionized the process and prognosis of scar treatment, and why these strong soldiers should no longer have to suffer the way they once did. It will also discuss the unique collateral impact of amputation which can result in not only the barrier of adjusting to a whole new way of life but also its own variety of scars and residual skin pathologies. With the right treatment, healthcare teams can help our wounded heroes walk again.

To review the webinar Click here Registration is required

This webinar will be looking at minimizing the impact of social distancing and is aimed primarily at our older adults, their caregivers and therapists looking for ideas to help the older adult in these challenging times. Representatives from home health, acute care, geriatrics and the cognitive and mental health SIG will be speaking on ways individuals, their families, caregivers and therapists can help minimize the impact of the isolation being experienced by many of our older adults.

Download the PDF of the Presentation Slides.

Meet our Presenters

Emily Fleischman PT, DPT, GCS; Stanford Hospital, Palo Alto, CA

Chris Childers PT, BSc (Hons), MS, PhD; Board Certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist; (GCS)Certified in Advanced Competency in Home Health

Carolina Zubiri, DPT, GCS; Stanford Hospital, Intermediate ICU, Critical Care Team

Diana Kornetti, PT, MA, HCS-D, HCS-C; Partner, Kornetti & Krafft Health Care Solutions; President, Home Health Section

NOTE: We do NOT apply for CEU approval for Geriatrics webinars, however your state licensure may allow credits for this education activity. We do provide a certificate of attendance, which can be downloaded below. You will need to contact the agency or organization in your state, which handles your professional licensure, in order to determine whether credit is available for webinars, and without applications for approval.There is no survey to be completed for this webinar.Download the Certificate of Attendance.

This is Part 2 of the Medicare Documentation series. You can purchase Part 1 here. This course will continue the discussion on compliant documentation utilizing Medicare’ Documentation Requirements as published in the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual. It will, not only, address specific content requirements but also the consequences of not complying with these regulations. Special attention will be afforded to effective drafting of Plans of Care, differentiating the goals of an evaluation and progress report’s assessment, the purpose of the treatment encounter note and ultimately how to document in a way that tells the ‘whole’ story without writing a book.

Related courses:

Defensible Documentation - The Medicare Perspective - Part 1

Defensible Documentation - The Medicare Perspective - Part 2

Defensible Documentation - The Payer Perspective

Home Health Regulation and Documentation

Meet our Speaker

Mary Daulong, PT, CHC, CHP, is owner of Business & Clinical Management Services Inc, providing consultation for small- to medium-sized private practices and billing companies. For 2 decades she has guided private practitioners, rehab agencies, and therapy-specific billing companies through the maze of health care regulatory change. Daulong earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch, SAHS, has master’s-level business management education, and has over 1,500 hours of postgraduate education in health care-related matters. She is certified in health care compliance and is credentialed by the HIPAA Academy as a HIPAA privacy professional. Her past career includes self-employment as a private practitioner, and senior and mid-management employment in diverse settings, and she has specific expertise in health care regulation including OIG guidance; Medicare payment, documentation, and coverage regulations; OSHA; ADA; Department of Labor; HIPAA/HITECH; professional practice regulatory compliance; and operational integration

Daulong has been recognized by her profession and community, regularly speaking in both national and state venues. She has been honored by academic institutions, state agencies, and professional, community, and civic associations as well as by her peers, and she continues to be an active volunteer in her professional associations.

This purpose of this session is to help students and practicing therapists develop an efficient and effective documentation strategy appropriate for use across a wide range of practice settings and patient populations. This approach is grounded in the ICF framework and will facilitate a clinical decision making approach to optimize patient outcomes. The framework further incorporates both the APTA’s Guidelines for Physical Therapy Documentation and the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, and is consistent with Medicare and third-payer guidelines for functional outcomes assessment. The talk will cover documentation of the initial evaluation, daily notes and progress reports, and will specifically address movement system diagnoses, goal-setting and functional outcomes assessments. We will provide actual clinical examples from a range of patient populations and clinical practice settings. Participants will have the opportunity to practice documentation skills and ask individual questions pertaining to their current practice.

Related courses:

Defensible Documentation - The Medicare Perspective - Part 1

Defensible Documentation - The Medicare Perspective - Part 2

Defensible Documentation - The Payer Perspective

Home Health Regulation and Documentation

Meet our Speakers

Lori Quinn, PT, EdD is associate professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, in New York, New York. Her research has focused on developing evidence and guidelines for physical therapy interventions in neurodegenerative diseases, and in particular, for people with Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. She has developed treatment-based classifications for individuals with Huntington’s disease, and has coauthored several papers related to developing classifications to guide interventions. In addition to her work in neurodegenerative diseases, she is coauthor of Documentation for Rehabilitation: A Guide to Clinical Decision Making in Physical Therapy, currently in its third edition. The textbook places a strong emphasis on diagnosis by physical therapists, and using documentation to guide effective clinical management.

Julie Fineman, PT, EdM is the Director of Clinical Education and Clinical Assistant Professor for Marist College’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. Julie is a physical therapist with over 30 years experience in a variety of practice settings including in-patient, out-patient and home care. Prior to joining Marist, Julie was an Assistant Professor in the Physical Therapy Programs at Stony Brook University, New York Medical College and Dominican College. She received her BS in Physical Therapy from University of Delaware and her MA and EdM degrees in Motor Learning & Control from Teacher’s College, Columbia University. Julie is a chapter author of the textbook: Documentation for rehabilitation: a guide to clinical decision making in physical therapy. She is currently pursuing her EdD degree with research investigating skill acquisition and dual task paradigms in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.

This webinar was recorded on July 17, 2019. The recording is available in the resources area after you register.

A panel of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants that have advanced their careers in various ways through active involvement in professional and leadership activities will discuss their experiences. Panelists will describe their professional journeys and benefits they have perceived from being involved. Different avenues to help develop professional and leadership skills, including the use of APTA Engage, will be discussed.

Our Moderator will be Lyndsey Vandenberg, PT, DPT, APTA Leadership Development Task Force

Meet our Panelists

Carrie Cunningham, PT, Board Certified in Orthopedic Physical Therapy, is an Illinois native and avid Cubs and Bears fan. Since graduating from St Louis University in 1995 she has held various positions and is currently Sports Medicine Manager at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She has previously owned her own private practice, Mobile Wellness and Performance, LLC. Carrie is certified as a Therapeutic Pain Specialist through ISPI/EIM and is also certified as a pitching coach through NPA. She specializes in manual treatments including dry needling. Her professional activities include being active in the APTA throughout her career most recently being elected to the Nominating Committee for the APTA. She was also previously selected to the board appointed Leadership Development Committee. On a local level, she has served as a delegate for Georgia for the past 4 years. Carrie was former Membership Chair for PTAG and has served as GA PT-PAC chair and on the BOD for PTAG as a member of the Executive Board and as a non voting member. Her passion for leadership is evident and has served in many leadership roles both professionally and personally beginning as recreation chair at church growing a struggling ministry into a thriving one which touched over 600 families and thousands of people. Her personal belief is to constantly be replacing yourself and to always leave the world better than how you found it.

Matt DeBole, PT, DPT received his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from University of Pittsburgh in 2014. He currently practices at Crossover Health Physical Therapist - An Employer-Based Primary Care Model. Matt completed an Orthopaedic Residency at Agile Physical Therapy in 2015. In addition, he was an APTA Student Assembly Director (2012-13) and APTA Student Assembly President (2013-14). Other leadership experience has included being CPTA San Jose District Vice Chairperson (2015-16) and Chairperson (2016-18). Service to the profession has included being R. Charles Harker Intern with VP of Public Policy, Practice, and Professional Affairs Unit 2013 , Member of APTA Recruitment and Retention of Early-Career Members (Re-TEAM) Task Force 2015, California Chapter Delegate to APTA House of Delegates 2015, and Stakeholder Attendee at Future of Physical Therapist Payment Strategy Meeting April 2017. Presentations have included "Run The Distance: Aquatic-Based Augmented Training, Conditioning, and Return-To-Running" at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in 2017 and "PT Ed Talks" at the CPTA Annual Conference in 2017.

Jeremy Foster, PTA received his Associates Degree in Physical Therapist Assistant from Salt Lake Community College in 1996. He is a staff PTA at North Sunflower Medical Center. Jeremy is the owner of Jeremy Inc., which is a contract company providing PTA services. He sits on the PTA Advisory Board at Holmes Community College and Mississippi Delta Community College. He is a national speaker on Rural Health Care and Critical Access Hospitals. Jeremy was the Chair of the Minimum Skills Task Force, which was responsible for creating the document, “Core Competencies for the Entry-Level PTA in Acute Care”. Jeremy has been active in the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the Mississippi Physical Therapy (MPTA) for the past 20 years, he is currently serving as the PTA Caucus Representative for Mississippi, and he is the current PTA at Large for the Academy of Acute Care section. He was the Mississippi Physical Therapist Assistant of the year in 2017 and The Outstanding Physical Therapist Assistant for the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy for 2019. Just recently he was notified of being awarded the 2019 Outstanding Physical Therapist Assistant of the year from the APTA. He has Advanced Proficiency from the APTA in the areas of Geriatric, Integumentary, and Acute Care Physical Therapy. Jeremy has been a Clinical Instructor for the past 20 years and a Credentialed Clinical Instructor for the past 10 years. He has been a strong advocate for leadership roles for the PTA at the state and national level.

Health coaching is an emerging health care adjunct with evidence supporting its efficacy in rehabilitation and chronic disease management. Integration of health coaching into physical therapy practice may increase patients' quality of life and improve rehabilitation outcomes. This course will introduce the physical therapist to health coaching and how coaching tools can be used to support behavior change and improve patient care.

Meet our Presenter

Nola Peacock, PT, MPT, DSc, is the clinical coordinator for lifestyle medicine at St. John’s Health in Jackson, Wyoming. Among her responsibilities are outpatient services, student clinical education, community outreach, program administration, and health and wellness coaching. She earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science from the University of Utah, her master of physical therapy degree from Chapman University, and doctor of science degree in physical therapy from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. Peacock is a board-certified clinical specialist in geriatric physical therapy, and a board-certified health and wellness coach. In addition to her clinical experience, Peacock has teaching experience as a clinical instructor for St. John’s Health, a college instructor for Kaplan University and Central Wyoming College, and a lecturer and lab assistant for the University of Utah. Her service to the profession includes current positions as a member of the APTA Prevention, Health Promotion, and Wellness Council Work Group; member of the Rehab Special Interest Group Steering Committee for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine; and state ambassador for the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Peacock also has served as state advocate for APTA Geriatrics and as a member of the Wyoming State Board of Physical Therapy.

Course Description

A rising trend in the practice of physical therapy is the use of telehealth and mobile health technology. However, maintaining patient privacy is an important consideration that must not be overlooked. Physical therapists need to know how to comply with regulations established by HIPAA as well as the APTA Code of Ethics.

The recording links for both the content and the live Q and A are now available in the resources area.

Meet our presenters

Kara Gainer joined APTA in 2017 and provides leadership and strategic direction to the regulatory affairs team on key programs, initiatives, and policy development in the federal regulatory space. She has extensive knowledge and experience working on policies related to Medicare, Medicaid, health care reform, and provider billing and reimbursement. Prior to joining APTA, Kara was a health care consultant with Drinker Biddle & Reath, where she developed and executed comprehensive public policy strategies for her clients that integrated legislative, regulatory, and communications efforts. She also served as attorney advisor for the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals, and clerked with the US Senate Sergeant at Arms. Kara received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Montana and law degree from the University of Montana, School of Law, and is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.

Matt Elrod, PT, DPT, MEd, is lead specialist in APTA’s Practice Department. He is liaison to various external organizations, contributes to policy development in the advancement of the profession, develops member resources in evidence-based practice, ICD-10 transition, telehealth, adoption of electronic health records, and integration of the Physical Therapy Outcomes Registry. He has more than 20 years of experience in the physical therapy profession, and earned a physical therapy degree from the Medical University of South Carolina, a doctor of physical therapy degree from Marymount University, and a master of education degree from the Citadel in exercise physiology. He is a board-certified clinical specialist in neurologic physical therapy.

Managing childhood obesity in a patient-centered medical home setting is the fourth and final installment of APTA’s online Learning Labs series based on the Innovation 2.0 initiative.

To review the recording from the live Q and A session use this link! To review the course content you must be registered for the course, then select "show resources" from the course description.

Session Description:

Are you a physical therapist who is participating in a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model? Or are you interested in managing childhood obesity? Or both? Here is your chance to hear from your colleagues about their work in a PCMH and in population health, and learn from their experiences, as APTA’s fourth Innovation 2.0 online Learning Lab focuses on how physical therapists can be key players in patient-centered medical homes.

Childhood obesity is a prevalent chronic health condition that has reached epidemic levels in the United States. This serious health problem needs more comprehensive and cost-effective approaches, and the PCMH may be a practical solution. In this innovative health care model, the physical therapist (PT) plays a key role in measurements of obesity-related signs and symptoms that affect the human movement system, including aerobic fitness and strength deficit, lower extremity joint pain, gait dysfunction, and motor control deficit. The PT also evaluates and monitors children's physical activity and sedentary behaviors, and is trained in behavioral strategies to enhance physical activity and parental support. The model measures cost-effectiveness by tracking incidence of disease rates and hospitalization for obesity-related conditions.

Other members of the team include the pediatrician, medical fellow, nutritionist, nurse/nurse practitioner, social worker, biostatistician, and health care coordinator. Referrals to specialists (such as PTs when a cluster of impairments appear that indicate a movement disorder associated with obesity) also are coordinated so that appropriate care is received. Regular follow-ups document progress and help the young patients and their families with self-management. This model also could provide support for including PTs in PCMHs that target other chronic health conditions that affect movement.

Presenters:

• Brian Wrotniak, PT, PhD
• Anthony Caterina, MD
• Fred Archer III, MD
• Julie Cicero, RN
• Lauren Angelucci, PT
• Jennifer Kuhrt, PT
• Elliot Ogorek
• Eric Read, SPT

Many PT owners/leaders/managers continue to try to respond as best as possible to the evolving status of the COVID-19 pandemic and make decisions relative to finance, staffing, and how to manage their practices through this pandemic in order to take care of their businesses, their employees, and their patients. This panel discussion will present how five practices from small to large and with varying situations are each managing to keep their practices going through this crisis, responding to the evolving federal rules and regulations (CARES updates, PPP, etc.), optimizing staffing and operations as our new normal unfolds, and trying to lead with a vision to come out stronger on the other side.

Presenters: Michelle Collie, PT, DPT, MS; Mike Horsefield, PT, MBA; Mark Reitz, PT; Dan Rootenberg, PT, DPT; Paul Welk, PT, JD; Kristen Wilson, PT, DPT; Rob Worth, PT, DPT, ATC/L, MS

Q and A recording was live on December 4, 2018 click here to review that session

The pre-recorded content is available: is available at this link.

Course Description

This course provides insights into the New Year based on moving to value-based payment.

Meet our presenters

Kara Gainer joined APTA in 2017 and provides leadership and strategic direction to the regulatory affairs team on key programs, initiatives, and policy development in the federal regulatory space. She has extensive knowledge and experience working on policies related to Medicare, Medicaid, health care reform, and provider billing and reimbursement. Prior to joining APTA, Kara was a health care consultant with Drinker Biddle & Reath, where she developed and executed comprehensive public policy strategies for her clients that integrated legislative, regulatory, and communications efforts. She also served as attorney advisor for the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals, and clerked with the US Senate Sergeant at Arms. Kara received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Montana and law degree from the University of Montana, School of Law, and is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.

Heather Smith, PT, MPH, currently serves as director of quality for APTA. In her current role, Heather coordinates quality initiatives for the association and develops and implements key member resources related to quality. Two areas of focus in her work include the physician quality reporting system (PQRS) and the functional limitation reporting (FLR) requirements for therapist services under Medicare. She also serves as staff lead on the Physical Therapy Outcomes Registry. Heather previously worked for New York Presbyterian Hospital and University of Pennsylvania Health System, where she served in quality improvement. Her transition into quality was facilitated in part by the acquisition of her master’s degree in public health from Drexel University. Previous to her role in quality improvement, she was a practicing clinician for more than 10 years, with the majority of her focus on orthopedics in the outpatient setting.

This two part course includes an audio roundtable, with experienced and knowledgeable presenters reviewing topics such as laws and regulations related to health care fraud and abuse. Interactive case vignettes drawn from real-world situations illustrate types of Medicare fraud or abuse involving physical therapy services.

Courses are designed to be viewed in the following browsers: Chrome or IE 10/11

The recordings are available! The pre-recorded session is available at this link: Pre-recorded presentation The recorded version of the live Q and A session is available here: Live Q and A.

There are NO CEUs for this course

Session Description:

This is the continuation of the New Payment System webinar from September 2016 (this recording is found in the "Media" tab) to provide any updates made since the codes were officially released in November 2016. During the live session, we provided a quick overview of the New Evaluation Codes ONLY. Helene Fearon joined Kathleen Picard and the APTA Team of experts in responding to the questions posed prior to and during the live session.

This course is designed to introduce physical therapists to the new evaluation and reevaluation codes, and teach therapists how to select the appropriate evaluation code based on patient presentation. Even though the new evaluation codes are split into 3 levels: low, moderate and high complexity evaluation, the overall definition of the evaluation remains the same.

Physical therapists will select the appropriate evaluation level based on the following components: patient history, examination, patient presentation, and complexity of clinical decision making. A feature of this course is a self-paced review of patient scenarios specific to a variety of physical therapist practice specialties: cardiovascular and pulmonary, geriatrics, neurology, orthopedics and pediatrics.

There are NO CEUs for this course

NOTE: To save your notes, please download or print the scenario worksheet for each of the scenarios you choose to complete. Click on Resources.

There are NO CEUs for this course

This is one module in a series of modules presented by the a group of APTA sections: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Section, Academy of Acute Care Management, and the HPA. This series is free to the profession. Please check back often as we create and add modules.

Full Bundle available here!

This is one module in a series of modules presented by the a group of APTA sections: Academy of Acute Care Management, Cardiovascular Section and the HPA. This series is free to the profession. Please check back often as we create and add modules.

Full Bundle available here!

COVID-19 is a novel viral disease creating a global pandemic and a new way of living. Physical Therapists (PTs) are integral to recovery. This course offers evidence and experience based guidance to caring for patients, self, and community from prevention to restoration as the new COVID-19 environment demands.

Meet our Presenter:

Heidi Engel, PT, DPT

This is part 1 of a 2-part session - be sure to continue to Part 2 when finished with this one

COVID-19 infection has a wide range of presentations from being asymptomatic, to mild flu-like symptoms, to causing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) requiring prolonged ICU stay. Consequences of moderate to severe COVID-19 infection may include chronic musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, and pulmonary impairments in addition to other systemic effects that prevent patients from regaining their pre-COVID physical and functional status. As a result, they will likely be referred to outpatient physical therapy to address their ongoing impairments. This 7-part course provides an overview for the outpatient physical therapist that includes COVID-19 pathophysiology, acute and post-acute course, outpatient clinic preparation for patients recovering from COVID-19, important components of an outpatient PT evaluation, outcomes measures and interventions, a snapshot of physical therapy at Boston Hope Medical Center (COVID-19 field hospital), and strength training considerations.

Meet our Presenters

Lauren Mellett, PT, DPT, CCS Received a BS in Health Science in 1998 and MS in Physical Therapy in 2000 from Boston University. She completed her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Northeastern University in 2012. She has been a board-certified Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Specialist since 2005. Lauren has served as Adjunct Faculty in the Physical Therapy Program at Northeastern University since 2003 and spent 5 years as Adjunct Faculty at UMass Lowell. She is an active member of the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Section of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and served as its Treasurer from 2014-2020. She is a member of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) and the Massachusetts Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (MACVPR). She is involved in clinical research and has given several professional and community presentations on the topic of exercise training in cardiovascular and pulmonary populations.

Nicole Surdyka PT, DPT, CSCSOwner, Nicole Surdyka Physio: Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Passionate about bridging the gap between rehabilitation and sports performance for youth, collegiate, and professional athletes. I believe in treating patients holistically, in conjunction with the entire healthcare and coaching team, in order to treat and reduce the risk of injuries and optimize performance. D-1 Soccer player; semi-professional soccer with NY Athletic Club and New Jersey Wildcats. NSC Association All-American award winner.

Jessica Garton PT, DPT, OCS, CLT Jessica is a physical therapist at Mass General Hospital working primarily in oncology and pulmonary. Jessica believes in the benefits of exercise and works with patients in different stages of their disease to help them improve their endurance, overall function and quality of life. Jessica has worked at Mass General Hospital for over 12 years where she has been recognized as a Clinical Scholar, and became a certified lymphedema therapist in 2014. Jessica holds a BS in computer engineering from Brown University and a doctorate of physical therapy from MGH Institute of Health Professions. Jessica enjoys playing on a ultimate frisbee team and training for endurance charity events.

This is part 2 of a 2-part course. It is highly recommended that you review Part 1 before starting this one.

COVID-19 infection has a wide range of presentations from being asymptomatic, to mild flu-like symptoms, to causing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) requiring prolonged ICU stay. Consequences of moderate to severe COVID-19 infection may include chronic musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, and pulmonary impairments in addition to other systemic effects that prevent patients from regaining their pre-COVID physical and functional status. As a result, they will likely be referred to outpatient physical therapy to address their ongoing impairments. This 7-part course provides an overview for the outpatient physical therapist that includes COVID-19 pathophysiology, acute and post-acute course, outpatient clinic preparation for patients recovering from COVID-19, important components of an outpatient PT evaluation, outcomes measures and interventions, a snapshot of physical therapy at Boston Hope Medical Center (COVID-19 field hospital), and strength training considerations.

Meet our Presenters

Lauren Mellett, PT, DPT, CCS Received a BS in Health Science in 1998 and MS in Physical Therapy in 2000 from Boston University. She completed her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Northeastern University in 2012. She has been a board-certified Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Specialist since 2005. Lauren has served as Adjunct Faculty in the Physical Therapy Program at Northeastern University since 2003 and spent 5 years as Adjunct Faculty at UMass Lowell. She is an active member of the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Section of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and served as its Treasurer from 2014-2020. She is a member of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) and the Massachusetts Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (MACVPR). She is involved in clinical research and has given several professional and community presentations on the topic of exercise training in cardiovascular and pulmonary populations.

Nicole Surdyka PT, DPT, CSCSOwner, Nicole Surdyka Physio: Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Passionate about bridging the gap between rehabilitation and sports performance for youth, collegiate, and professional athletes. I believe in treating patients holistically, in conjunction with the entire healthcare and coaching team, in order to treat and reduce the risk of injuries and optimize performance. D-1 Soccer player; semi-professional soccer with NY Athletic Club and New Jersey Wildcats. NSC Association All-American award winner.

Jessica Garton PT, DPT, OCS, CLT Jessica is a physical therapist at Mass General Hospital working primarily in oncology and pulmonary. Jessica believes in the benefits of exercise and works with patients in different stages of their disease to help them improve their endurance, overall function and quality of life. Jessica has worked at Mass General Hospital for over 12 years where she has been recognized as a Clinical Scholar, and became a certified lymphedema therapist in 2014. Jessica holds a BS in computer engineering from Brown University and a doctorate of physical therapy from MGH Institute of Health Professions. Jessica enjoys playing on a ultimate frisbee team and training for endurance charity events.

This is one module in a series of modules presented by the a group of APTA sections: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Section, Academy of Acute Care Management, and the HPA. This series is free to the profession. Please check back often as we create and add modules.

Full Bundle available here!

Dr. Hillegass will discuss normal and abnormal vital sign response to exercise, how to interpret these changes in order to progress activity and exercise and oxygen delivery methods/devices. All principles will be applied via case study discussion.

APTA and the Veteran's Administration have partnered and this is one of the topics provided by the Veteran's Administration to our Members free of charge.

SPECIAL NOTICE: The link to the recording is listed in the resources area if you cannot open the .pdf instruction page - we apologize for any inconvenience.

This course provides an overview of different types of edema and what is known from the evidence regarding treatment options

Meet our Presenter

Lisa Cabral, PT, DPT, Certified Lymphedema Therapist, Certified Wound SpecialistEdward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital (Hines, IL)

APTA is pleased to provide this course which is being shared by the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) and the NSW Ministry of Health and HETI who are partnering to provide much-needed training to hospital physios working to combat COVID-19 and save lives worldwide.

As the world ramps up its response to the current health crisis, physiotherapists will be deployed to provide specialised care to patients with COVID-19. The training is developed by the APA’s leading intensive care cardiorespiratory physiotherapists.

To review the content Click here Registration is required

Instructions for accessing the 2-day recorded links

The purpose of this course is to provide physiotherapy staff with an update in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy practice for intensive care, and planning for potential roles of physiotherapy in the management of COVID-19 patients in this environment.

This two day virtual training course provides a refresher and update for physiotherapy staff working in ICUs with increasing cases of COVID-19 and ventilated patients. This course combines key topics from the Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy Level 2 – ICU course and incorporates COVID19 respiratory management based on The Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS) COVID-19 Guidelines and the latest ANZICS-COVID-19-Guidelines and COVID 19: Respiratory Physiotherapy On Call Information and Guidance from NHS. Leading experts in intensive care will provide this training.

Meet the Presenters

Dr Peter Thomas, PhD, FACP is a Specialist Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapist. Peter leads the Physiotherapy Intensive Care and Surgical team as a Consultant Physiotherapist at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. Peter has embraced the use of eLearning and simulation for cardiorespiratory physiotherapy and intensive care education and contributes widely to multi-professional education at state and national levels. Peter’s research interests include the fields of healthcare education, surgery, trauma and intensive care.

Michelle Paton MACP, Graduating from a Masters in Physiotherapy in 2001 from Griffith University, Michelle has specialised in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy and in particular Critical Care from graduation. After working in both QLD and the UK, Michelle returned to Melbourne in 2008 and completed her Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy Masters in 2011. She is currently the Advanced ICU Physiotherapist and Critical Care and Surgical Services Stream Leader for Monash Health, and is completing her PhD investigating the effect of exercise dosage in ICU on functional outcomes.

Wendy Chaseling, APA Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapist. Wendy is the Senior ICU Physiotherapist at St George Hospital. Wendy was Chair of the NSW Health ACI ICNSW "Suctioning the Artificial Airway of the Adult ICU Patient Clinical Practice Guideline" and assisted updating the NSW Health ACI ICNSW "Physical Activity and Movement Clinical Practice Guideline". Wendy educates New graduates in simulation skills centre and is currently Site Principal Investigator for the TEAM Trial at St George Hospital.

NOTE: The APA does NOT apply for CEU approval in the United States, however your state licensure may allow credits for this education activity. We do provide a certificate of attendance, which can be downloaded. You will need to contact the agency or organization in your state, which handles your professional licensure, in order to determine whether credit is available for webinars, and without applications for approval.There is no survey to be completed for this course.

The Pre-recorded content is now available. We encourage viewers to submit questions in advance of the live Q&A to advocacy@apta.org.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Live Q and A Scheduled for January 19, 2021 - 2:00 p.m. (EST). You will find the Zoom link in the resources area.

This webinar will provide clarity on the HHS Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology information blocking rules in practical language. Speakers will review and apply the information blocking rules as they relate to several potential information blocking scenarios. Scenarios will be discussed from the provider perspective and that may "require" collaboration between the provider and the software vendor. Our goal is for all attendees to be prepared for potential "claims" of information blocking, including a discussion of when these might or might not "really" be considered information blocking. The session will provide the necessary information for physical therapy professionals to remain in compliance with industry changes and avoid information blocking penalties.

Meet the Speakers:

Robert Latz, PT, DPT, CHCIO, is the only Physical Therapist with the HealthCare CIO certification from CHIME (College of Health Information Management Executives). He is the President of the APTA HPA: The Catalyst Technology SIG and a Board Member of HPA: The Catalyst. He is a member of several APTA Sections, including Acute Care, Home Health; and Geriatrics, which give him insight into data sharing across the continuum. He is a Board Member of the National Association for the Support of Long Term Care (NASL) where he is active in the IT and Medical Services Committees and was the 2018 NASL Member of the Year. He is a member of the LTPAC HIT Collaborative, the LTPAC CIO Consortium, the HIMSS LTPAC Committee, and the APTA PAC Workgroup. Dr. Latz is the Chief Information Officer for Trinity Rehabilitation Services, which improves human function by providing contracted therapy services in Post-Acute Care settings.

Alan Swenson is the Vice President of Interoperability at Kno2, where his focus is on improving interoperability across the entire continuum of care. Alan is responsible for overseeing specific projects aimed to extend interoperability into hard to reach markets, and groups not previously part of government incentive programs to drive interoperability, such as LTPAC, behavioral health, therapies, emergency medical services, and more. He represents Kno2's partners and customers in industry trade associations and actively participates and leads in other industry interoperability initiatives, such as Carequality, CommonWell Health Alliance and DirectTrust. In addition, Alan currently serves as a Member Board Director for NASL and is Vice-Chair of their IT Committee, leading NASL interoperability initiatives, including comments to the ONC and CMS interoperability rules and ONC's draft two of the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA).

Kara Gainer, JD, APTA Director of Regulatory Affairs, leads, manages, and provides strategic direction to the regulatory affairs team on key programs and initiatives in the federal regulatory space that help to move forward the priorities of the APTA for the advancement of our profession in the area of payment and public policy. She also is responsible for leading member initiatives and developing policies and programs that promote the practice of physical therapy. Prior to joining APTA, Kara was a health care consultant with Drinker Biddle and Reath, where she developed and executed comprehensive public policy strategies for her clients that integrated legislative, regulatory, and communications efforts. She also served as an Attorney Advisor for the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals and clerked with the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms.

The federal government and other payers have enacted laws, written regulations, and introduced policies to crack down on the prevalence of health care fraud, abuse, and waste. While the vast majority of physical therapists provide patients with appropriate services and submit proper claims for payment with accurate information, the payment system and regulatory environment is complex and lack of knowledge can put therapists at risk for billing errors that could be considered fraud, waste, or abuse. This self-directed reading course explains the difference between fraud, waste, and abuse and provides the information necessary to comply with relevant laws and regulations that affect payment. Topics covered include laws governing a PTs relationships with payers, referral sources, and patients, evidence-based practice and ethics/professionalism, and the basic elements of a compliance program.

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Value. What is it? How do acute care physical therapists provide value for patients when the discussion is all about productivity and volume? How do we change the ideology from productivity or volume to value? Acute physical therapy value should be measured by the outcomes produced for the patient divided by the cost of services to produce those outcomes. Although acute physical therapy practice continues to progress toward consistent outcome measurement, widespread application of outcomes to quantify value is rare. This lack of a quantifiable measurement leaves acute care practitioners’ value measured primarily in terms of how many units or visits a therapist can code in a certain number of hours worked. Unfortunately, quantities of units or visits are not synonymous with value. The purpose of this course is to provide the science, theory and practical tools to shift the discussion from productivity to a value based practice. The speakers developed a way to measure value in acute practice using readily available data and called it the Therapy Value Quotient. They piloted the measurement in a large hospital system. The speakers will discuss the published Therapy Value Quotient tool and review a case study demonstrating its promising application.

Brian Hull, PT, DPT,MBA is the Director of Rehabilitation for Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation overseeing Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Baylor Sammons Cancer Center, and Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie. He works with the system leadership to help develop and implement the strategic planning and operations for the Baylor Hospital therapy programs. Dr. Hull received his Physical Therapy degree from Bradley University, his MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas, and his Doctor of Physical Therapy from University of New England. He has served in various leadership roles within Baylor for more than13 years and various community service leadership roles with the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas for the last 8 years. Dr. Hull has published, taught graduate classes, and presented nationally on various leadership topics including strategic planning, healthcare reform, finance, negotiation, and organizational behavior.

Cathy Thut, PT, DPT, MBA is a former Director of Rehab Services at Baylor Scott and White - Irving, a 200 bed community hospital and Baylor Scott and White-Grapevine. Currently she is a partner in Sanus Vivere Health and Wellness – a home based health and wellness practice. Dr. Thut received her BS-Biology from Lubbock Christian University, physical therapy degree from University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, MBA-Finance from West Texas A and M University, and Doctor of Physical Therapy from University of New England. She is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association having served on both the Finance Committee and the Risk Management Committee. Dr. Thut has been an invited lecturer at Southwestern Medical School, Texas Woman’s University. She has been a practicing Physical Therapist for over 35 years.

The Professionalism Series consists of 3 modules. Module 1: Introduction to Professionalism includes a course overview for the other modules in the series and introduces you to the concepts of professionalism and autonomous practice. It also discusses the APTA Core Values, the relationship between the 3 elements of the professionalism wheel and the 3 realms of ethics, and the attributes of a doctoring profession. This module helps fulfill the professionalism prerequisite requirement for completing APTA's Level 2 Credentialed Clinical Instructor course. You do not have to be enrolled in the Level 2 course to take this course and earn CEU credit.

NOTE: This is also a prerequisite course for PTA's pursuing the advanced proficiency pathway (APP).

This course is designed to be viewed in the following browsers: Chrome or IE 10 or 11.

APTA and the Veteran's Administration have partnered and this is one of the topics provided by the Veteran's Administration to our Members free of charge.

TeleRehabilitation is a new and emerging service offered in physical medicine and rehabilitation services, especially for the geriatric population where there are increased barriers to accessing care. From the perspective of a VA clinician, this class takes a look at TeleRehabilitation options for physical therapy practice, focusing on the geriatric population and types of service delivery models that may be used to help fill service delivery gaps. The class also provides guidelines on how to begin your own physical therapy TeleRehabilitation service as a supplement to your regular treatment program.

Meet our Presenter

Amanda Olney, DPT is a Board Certified Geriatric Specialist who experienced telehealth while on special assignment supportin VHA and Office of RUral Health intiaitives. She is a proven leader as a Captain in the Army earning the Bronze star Medal for meritorious service during the OIF-OEF deployment operations.

The live Q and A wsd delivered on December 10, 2019 and the link to listen is available in the resources area along with the chat transcript. The pre-recorded content is also available for review.

Course Overview

This session will provide an overview of Medicare and other federal payer reimbursement and coverage policies that physical therapy providers need to know in order to comply with all relevant rules and regulations in 2020. Presenters will discuss policies finalized in the 2020 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Rule regarding the Quality Payment Program (Merit-based Incentive Payment System and Advanced Alternative Payment Models), PTA modifier policy, coding, and more; provide an update on Department of Defense TRICARE rules; review the new Veterans Community Care Program; and offer insight into APTA’s current federal advocacy efforts on administrative burden, telehealth, and more.

Meet our Presenters

Kara Gainer joined APTA in 2017 and provides leadership and strategic direction to the regulatory affairs team on key programs, initiatives, and policy development in the federal regulatory space. She has extensive knowledge and experience working on policies related to Medicare, Medicaid, health care reform, and provider billing and reimbursement. Prior to joining APTA, Kara was a health care consultant with Drinker Biddle & Reath, where she developed and executed comprehensive public policy strategies for her clients that integrated legislative, regulatory, and communications efforts. She also served as attorney advisor for the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals, and clerked with the US Senate Sergeant at Arms. Kara received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Montana and law degree from the University of Montana, School of Law, and is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.

Heather Smith, PT, MPH, currently serves as director of quality for APTA. In her current role, Heather coordinates quality initiatives for the association and develops and implements key member resources related to quality. Two areas of focus in her work include the physician quality reporting system (PQRS) and the functional limitation reporting (FLR) requirements for therapist services under Medicare. She also serves as staff lead on the Physical Therapy Outcomes Registry. Heather previously worked for New York Presbyterian Hospital and University of Pennsylvania Health System, where she served in quality improvement. Her transition into quality was facilitated in part by the acquisition of her master’s degree in public health from Drexel University. Previous to her role in quality improvement, she was a practicing clinician for more than 10 years, with the majority of her focus on orthopedics in the outpatient setting.

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) system addresses human functioning, providing a standard language and framework that describes how people with a health condition function in their daily lives, rather than focusing on a labeled diagnosis or the presence or absence of disease. The ICF model considers the dynamics between a person’s health condition and environmental and personal factors. This course will provide you with an overview of the language of the ICF and help you to become familiar with the conceptual framework, terminology, and potential applications for physical therapist practice.

The originally recorded videos are no longer functional - all information can be found in the handout.

There are NO CEUs for this course

Recorded content can be found in the resources area along with any handouts.

Course Overview

Being an expert in physical therapy is not enough to enjoy a long, successful, and satisfying career. Physical therapists face numerous obstacles to their professional success like increasing hours, plateauing insurance reimbursements, interacting with patients with chronic pain, and maintaining a work/life balance. Over time, these obstacles erode professional and personal well-being, resulting in lower quality care in patients and career burnout. To overcome these obstacles. A physical therapist needs a holistic system of support. This system includes psychological and social skills like self-awareness, self-compassion, and resilience. Unfortunately, these topics are often absent in physical therapy programs, leaving practitioners unprepared for the challenges facing them. To better equip physical therapists, this presentation will (a) discuss the importance of professional and personal well-being, (b) Identify common obstacles to well-being, and (c) provide practical strategies to increase overall well-being and career satisfaction.

Meet our presenter

David Schary, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Winthrop University. His mission is to help people understandthe importance of the psychological and social aspects in their everyday lives. Dr. Schary’s research interests include performance, leadership, and well-being across a variety of domains (e.g., medical profession, emergency services, wildland firefighters, and athletics). Currently, he is researching the relationship between well-being and performance. In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Schary is a performance consultant for Winthrop Athletics, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Dr. Schary completed his PhD in Exercise and Sport Science, with a concentration in Exercise and Sport Psychology, and Master of Public Health at Oregon State University. He also holds a Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Studies from Smith College and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California, Davis. Prior to academia, he coached rowing at the high school, collegiate, and masters levels. As a transplant to South Carolina, he spends his free time exploring the area with his wife and twin daughters.