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EIM Receives Small Business Award!!

EIM won the 2009 Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) Inc.credible Award for an outstanding small business. This award plays tribute to the top small businesses in the Louisville, KY area and EIM received the award for businesses with 10-49 employees. Nominated businesses were judged on the following criteria: community involvement, growth in employment, number of years in business, financial performance, innovativeness of product/service, and response to adversity. EIM was selected specifically for its flexible workplace model that has allowed for inc.credible talent attraction and cultivation. In recognition of EIM’s accomplishments, GLI states in their announcement that “EIM has created a genuinely unique on-line/on-site, best practice marketplace (an ‘educational-studio’) for the advancement of musculoskeletal physical therapy practice, incorporating a variety of educational strategies in a coordinated fashion, including; weekend courses, on-line courses, topical discussion threads, on-line journal clubs, and residency and fellowship degree tracks.” GLI went on to state, ”What makes EIM special is their founders and professional faculty. While administrative services are centralized, their network of subject matter experts (faculty/instructors/authors) reside throughout the US and occasionally beyond national borders. These experts would not be able to closely collaborate if required to reside in single or limited geographic location. Keeping this virtual office in mind, EIM developed and launched the first (and at this time, only) distance-leaning based residency and fellowship education model for physical therapists.” Thanks to everyone that has contributed to EIM’s success! Visit GLI’s website for more information.

Lights, Camera, Action

News... is it all about being IN the news or CREATING the news?  I suppose it depends on the content of the news.

I was completely impressed with a string of articles Google Alert fed me last week.  A reporter for Deseret News focused some health articles on low back pain, incontinence and physical therapists.  The "series" all started on May 7th with the topic for Saturday's Deseret News/Intermountain Healthcare Hotline.  This wasn't just a lone announcement.  There was also an article published about incontinence and low back pain.  The news didn't stop there... on May 8th there was another article published about low back pain.  Amazingly, another article about chronic back pain and physical therapists was published on May 9th!  It won't be ending there either.  On the 15th answers to emails on the topic will be posted on deseretnews.com

Jake Magel, PT, DSc and  Susan McLaughlin, PT really did a nice job throughout that whole series.  I couldn't put my finger on it initially, but as I sit here writing, I can now tell you exactly why the whole series was impressive for me.  Jake and Susan were being "Freds."    They were sharing evidence in a manner that was genuinely helpful to the public yet at the same time not self-serving. 

When I see quality like those articles, for some reason, I have a need to reach out and learn more.   Poor Jake... he was the one in my line of fire.  Let's just say I peppered him with enough questions that I can give you all the scoop on how something like what he and Susan did can happen in your community.

It all started with an opportunity.  As with anything else in life, if you see an opportunity, you either take it or leave it.  If I am understanding correctly, the Intermountain Health public relations department has a working relationship with the Deseret News.  Apparently for the last 17 years, Intermountain Health and Deseret News have joined together to help the community in their health by offering health hotlines on predetermined topics.  Jake happened to be contacted by the PR department to see if he was interested in some sort of women's health related issue (being close Mother's Day and all).

The articles were published to meet a need.  Deseret News in working with Intermountain Health needed to have material in order to really reach the community.  I'd assume that just announcing a health hotline date, time and topic wouldn't capture participation of the community at large without some effort being put into educating the community to interest them enough to want to call in and learn more.

When Jake mentioned he and Susan were interviewed, I had this slight feel of anxiety in my gut.  Whoa... interview?  This wasn't some written "news release" kind of deal that was sent in to Deseret News?  Rest assured, the reporter didn't interview in person.  Jake and Susan just had to call in and have a conversation with the reporter.  I shouldn't say "just call in," because based on what I read in those articles, Jake and Susan had to have spent some time mentally preparing and envisioning what information would be the most relevant for the community.  The beauty of being an "expert" in something is that you will have more control of the information because the person interviewing you probably isn't going to know enough and will need your assistance in focusing on the relevant information.  (Now, Jake didn't say that, I'm just taking liberties with what he did say.)

Jake and Susan were the physical therapists involved in both the interviews and the hotline phone calls.  Jake indicated there wasn't any quiet time on Saturday from 10-noon and the calls actually started before 10 and continued after noon.  Jake thought about 60% of the calls were incontinence issues and 40% low back pain issues.  The feedback Jake received from PR was that Jake and Susan's session was "one of the 6 or 7 most successful" in the last 17 years.

At this point in time, Jake doesn't know the departmental impact the recent health hotline will have on referrals.  He did mention by Tuesday 3 new patients scheduled due to the articles.

The public really doesn't know the role physical therapists can have in improving lives.  As physical therapists, we really don't have training in marketing, interviewing or managing a business.  What Jake and Susan did probably isn't within our comfort zone.  At the same time, the unknown brings fear.  Often times that fear is just in our imaginations and holds us back from acting. 

Hopefully, the time Jake took responding to me can be helpful for you.  Who better than physical therapists to create the news about how we can help?  Even if it costs money to educate the public, I liked that Jake did mention there was an immediate response due to a need for the services of a physical therapist.  That means, from a business perspective, there will be some return on your investment.

Thank you, Jake, for sharing.  It was kind of fun learning this way.  I'm also sorry for interrupting you with so many questions...  I honestly didn't realize you were working on a deadline.  I'm assuming you have many emailed questions that need a response to be posted at deseretnews.com

~Selena

EIM's Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship Awarded Status as an APTA Credentialed Program!

EIM's Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship Awarded Status as an APTA Credentialed Program! Evidence in Motion’s Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship Program is now credentialed by the American Physical Therapy Association as a post-professional clinical fellowship program. We are very excited to share this new, and we are thankful for the contributions made by so many talented, skilled, and hard-working professionals who helped to make this happen.

This is another important step for EIM in our work and mission to elevate the physical therapy profession and the role of physical therapists in health care delivery. In our residency and fellowship training programs, we seek to partner with and equip individual practitioners and physical therapy practices with premiere resources and training necessary for becoming leaders in evidence-based practice while creating and promoting a culture of evidence-based practice within the physical therapy profession. Our fellowship program, in particular, is structured not only to create highly skilled evidence based manual physical therapists, but also to mold and develop our fellows into leaders in our profession.

At EIM, we believe that post-professional residency and fellowship training for physical therapists is the most effective and efficient way to accomplish and realize the goals stated in APTA's Vision 2020 and we are committed to the task. We also believe our programs are unique in the ability to make accessible and provide post-professional residency and fellowship training to large numbers of physical therapists, including relatively new graduates, who otherwise would not be able to take advantage of this important aspect of professional development which is critical to the future of our profession.

Our programs are centered around an advanced distributed distance learning model that utilizes the BlackBoard Learning Management System for didactic instruction, group projects, and Virtual Grand Rounds. For the clinical mentoring component of our residency programs, we partner with high quality Network Partner practices across the nation that support and facilitate locally the clinical mentoring process for residents who are affiliated with or assigned to those Network Partner practices. For our fellowship program, we partner with Fellows of the AAOMPT who are eager to work together to move evidence based practice and the profession forward. The end result is that PTs who are motivated to go through post-professional education and training, but don't want to or are unable to move from their current location or place of employment, now have the opportunity to participate in a world-class post-professional residency or fellowship training program.

Here is a quote from one of our first Fellows-In-Training regarding the impact of fellowship training on his professional performance:

"When trying to figure out what I wanted to do next in reference to my professional development, I knew I wanted to do something that would alter the way I practice and change me as a clinician.  I knew after completing my DPT and becoming board certified in orthopedics that fellowship training was the next step.  I researched every fellowship listed on AAOMPT's website.  EIM was not listed as they hadn't been credentialed yet.  However, my company mentioned EIM to me and, after comparing what EIM had to offer as opposed to other programs, I was sold.  The faculty is well recognized in their research work, they are progressive, and they are change agents.  These are things I to aspire to be. 

In the last 9 months, I've become a more skilled clinician, much better at clinical reasoning, a more confident PT, and have created relationships with professionals who are always looking to better the profession and themselves, never being satisfied. 

Many great opportunities have already opened up for me and many more will likely follow due to this choice I've made.  I am excited to be a part of this program and I urge all who are considering fellowship in orthopaedic manual physical therapy to strongly consider EIM's program."

Our next class starts in June of 09. If have an interest in pursuing residency and fellowship training and would like to learn more or want to take the next step, you can find further details about our program on the residency/fellowship link of our website. Obviously e-mail and phone calls are always welcome.

Once again, thanks to the many folks who have made this achievement possible and we look forward to working with our current and future residents and fellows as well as our valued current and future Network Partner practices in order to make a lasting impact on our profession.

Sincerely,

The EIM Team

Do You Want to be "Compensated" Properly Too?

Larry beat me too it!

Evidence In Motion at CSM 2009!

 

CSM 2009- What Doesn’t Have To Stay In Vegas!

Take information back from Vegas on how YOU can participate in the nation's premier

 Orthopaedic Residency, Manual Therapy Fellowship, and Executive Program in Private Practice Management

John Childs, Rob Wainner, Tim Flynn, Julie Whitman, 

Larry Benz, and George Burkley

will be at CSM 2009 to answer questions and network.

Follow PhysicalTherapy on  twitter for CSM happenings and Tweetups!

Highlights include:

• Learn how to participate in EIM's unmatched Residency & Fellowship Programs and Executive Program in Private Practice Management with tDPT Option, 90% online!

• Find out about Continuing Education opportunities that are closer than you think!

• Other resources that enhance the EIM mission of translating evidence into practice are available.

 

For more information visit www.evidenceinmotion.com.
Visit EIM's Blog or MyPtSpace.

 

Industry Can Embrace Evidence Based Medicine and Assist Physical Therapists

Remember back in 1997 when the cool Dancing Baby debuted on Ally McBeal?    

The same technology that brought Dancing Baby entertainment has evolved to where it can be utilized to assist with educating ourselves or even our patients with correct performance of therapeutic exercises.  In 2005, the National Institute Of Child Health And Human Development funded a project titled "Internet Delivery of Animated Rehabilitation Exercises."  Apparently, physical therapists can have the same sort of fun as large drug trials have with the names of the projects.  This particular project is IDARE.  (Not to be confused with double dog daring someone.)  Bryan Heiderscheit, PT, PhD from University of Wisconsin-Madison is directing this study.  Seeing how our current President-Elect Obama ran his campaign successfully with technology, I wonder if Bryan would consider being interviewed (of course by me) to share preliminary findings?  Can animated rehabilitation exercises (ARE) replicate accurate performance of therapeutic exercises?  Can ARE enhance the physical therapy experience for patients with regard to consistent proper performance, adherence and outcomes when the physical therapist is in the lead in providing an ARE?  Could this technology reduce cost of care?  What about ARE on mobile devices?

Most companies tend to create their product and begin some level of sales.  Interestingly, ARE aren't for sale (to my knowledge).  The company involved with the creation of the product is one many of us are very familiar... Visual Health Information (VHI).   It appears VHI is appreciating the importance of evidence based medicine on two levels.  1)  I'm assuming there will be an ARE product (obviously it has been created) but instead of marketing the product, VHI is choosing to learn the results of IDARE.  2)  VHI just initiated a monthly newsletter for physical therapists.  The current newsletter is unique - it is something you'll save in a folder.  The newsletter combines evidence for specific exercises, a drawing of the exercises and the ability for you to click and watch an ARE of the specific activities.  A schedule of newsletter topics from now until September of 2010 is available. 

Selena

Blue Cross of Minnesota will no longer pay for Manual Therapy

Over the past week, private practice PT owners have been receiving this provider bulletin (P22-08) Download post71a_125818.pdf in their mailboxes. Briefly it states:

Massage and manual therapy exclusion
Effective January 1, 2009, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and Blue Plus will no longer reimburse providers for massage or manual therapy services. Massage or manual therapy will deny either as incidental (provider liability) or subscriber liability.

Massages that are provided as preparation for a chiropractic manipulation or other physical medicine therapies, are considered an integral part of the chiropractic manipulation or other therapy. As such, we will deny it as provider liability. If a massage is billed alone, then it will be denied as a subscriber contract exclusion.

Codes
97124 Therapeutic procedure, one or more areas, each 15 minutes; massage, including effleurage, petrissage and/or tapotement (stroking, compression, percussion).
97140 Manual therapy techniques (eg, mobilization/manipulation, manual lymphatic drainage, manual traction), one or more regions, each 15 minutes.

Liability
Provider liable:
Massage and manual therapy (97124 and 97140) will be denied incidental (provider liable) to chiropractic manipulations or other physical medicine procedures billed on the same date of service. The denial will be upheld regardless of submission of the -59 modifier. Additionally, submission of the -GA modifier will not affect or change the denial.

I found out about this Monday night and quite honestly said, What the Hey!! and immediately fired off emails to MN APTA, APTA, EIM team, friends, co-workers, etc.  Others have done so as well.

As of this morning, a  unified effort is taking place.   The MN chapter of the APTA is trying to get some answers from BC of MN and determine when and with whom we can meet to discuss. At present, Blue Cross of MN is not being very helpful.  Nationally, the APTA is aware of the issue and waiting to help if the matter can't be resolved by the MN Chapter and PT providers in a timely manner. 

In Minnesota, lots of theories are circulating as to exactly why and what Blue Cross was trying to do here.  From a research perspective, the recent September JOSPT Neck Guidelines and articles like the one by Walker et al. that came out in Spine today make supporting the efficacy of manual therapy and it's use with exercise a slam dunk. 

Hopefully we will have some answers soon.  I will keep you posted.  Could your state be next?

JW Matheson DPT

Image taken from here - see free use policy

Please Vote for the New EIM Logo!!!

EIM is a rapidly evolving company as we continue to grow a platform of residency and fellowship training programs with key Network Partners around the country. As a result of our continued transformation, we're looking to put a facelift on the existing EIM logo. Given the huge community of loyal EIM supporters and followers of the blog, we thought it would be fitting to get your input on the new logo.

Please examine each choice below. Click here to cast your vote via Survey Monkey. In case you need the full url, it is pasted below:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=69p2CNtdWe5xsROK9VGiNg_3d_3d

Feel free to add comments to the post, but please complete the online poll so we can register your vote count. We will only keep the poll open for the next couple of weeks, so cast your vote now!

Please forward this post to anyone you think might be interested in voting. Thanks again for your loyal support over the last few years. We very much value and appreciate your support and helping to make the EIM blog the most widely read blog in the PT profession!

The EIM Team

Logo revisions:

Choice #1 (Circle of dots)

 

Choice #2 (Dot without the motion symbol)

Note: ignore the "home of the one thing" tagline

 

Choice #3 (Evolutionary Sweep)

 

Choice #4 (Dot with Motion Symbol)

Kudos to Dave Mason

Good job for painting a real picture of what's going on in our world!  Physical Therapy Clinics Feeling the Pain

Healthsouth and Physiotherapy Associates besides being corporate-model clinics had issues and ramifications incurred for their day to day operations in some of their clinics.  I'd think it would be difficult to survive with imposed fines/penalties combined with a large change in day to day operations to be within rules and regulations which would substantially reduce projected revenue especially with the current state of dwindling reimbursement.  (Stryker and Physiotherapy Associates issues... right, sloppy paperwork )

Strike Two for Stryker

Because of Medicare fraud, Stryker doesn't seem to be involved in the provision of physical therapy services.  On another front, Stryker continues to have unresolved issues that will affect stakeholders.

Candidates for total joint arthroplasties should question the component.  Stryker has failed to resolve manufacturing issues that have been ongoing since 2005.  The manufacturing defects have led to multiple complications.  Beware of Stryker:  In the News  The November 2007 FDA warning letter:  The letter  It must have taken multiple attorney communications and discussion prior to this letter being made public based on all the redacted words!

Medical manufacturers might learn a bit from the automotive world and might consider stricter standards in creating conforming products:  ISO