I’ve been attending the Graham Sessions for five consecutive years now, and each year, I return home more fiery and passionate about our industry—as well as the value we bring to our patients and our communities. Of course, this year was particularly special, because I had the honor of delivering a “What I Believe” speech—which, as I…
The opioid epidemic is a true crisis in health care. Instead of helping patients, profit-driven or careless pharmaceutical companies, hospital networks, and providers have caused irreparable harm. In 2017 alone, 72,000 people died from an opioid overdose. Furthermore, of all the patients who receive prescription painkillers on a long-term basis for noncancer pain in a primary care…
Never underestimate the power of data. Whether it be proving the efficacy of physical therapy in stymieing opioid use among chronic pain patients or convincing payers to create clearer pathways between patients and PTs, data is the catalyst for sparking change within our industry.
But all too often, we lack the data needed to ignite that spark, which is part…
I don’t know about you, but I feel ready to usher out 2018—and welcome in a brand-new year. And that’s a good thing, because 2019 is coming in hot with a lot of changes for our industry. If you’ve read a lot of my past articles, then you know I make it a point to…
With 2019 right around the corner, the question on many rehab therapists’ minds is what to do about Medicare’s Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). While next year will be the first year that PTs are eligible to participate, most won’t be required to do so (based on CMS’s eligibility criteria). In fact, the majority of rehab…
Last month, my company, WebPT, hosted its fifth-annual Ascend conference in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona—a mere stone’s throw away from our headquarters. This was truly a momentous occasion in WebPT’s history, not only because attendees got to meet us on our home turf and take a behind-the-scenes look at our inner workings, but…
I’ve been writing a lot about the importance of using data as a catalyst for building relationships with other healthcare stakeholders—both providers and payers—as well as for increasing awareness around physical therapy in general. Well, there’s no better time to really embrace that effort than right now. We are, after all, on the cusp of National…
September 8 is World PT Day—a day that was established to celebrate and bring awareness to our awesome profession across the globe. In case I haven’t made my love for the physical therapy industry abundantly clear up to this point, let me take this opportunity to do so. I wholeheartedly, whole-bodily believe in the power of what…
Last month, my team and I released the results of our second annual State of Rehab Therapy industry survey, and while some of our findings aligned with expectations, there were several data points that left us pondering—and worrying about—potential implications for the profession as a whole. One such finding: The astounding levels of debt reported by DPT students…
It is with my deepest honor that I will accept the Marilyn Moffat Leadership Award from the APTA at the end of this month. Dr. Moffat is a luminary and exemplary leader in our industry. Her impact has been immeasurable, and her legacy provides a shining example of what’s possible when you believe in something implicitly. To win this…