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December 10, 2014 An Interview Series by Theresa A. Schmidt, DPT,MS,OCS,LMT,CEAS Today’s interview has a special focus on home care and skilled nursing home PT experiences. This is the actual transcript of the live interview. Today we have the pleasure to meet with Kathy Miller, PT, who is a home care physical therapist with 30 years […]

Challenge: In the same SNF, the administration told staff they must put in for more time on the documentation than the time actually provided giving services. They say it is necessary to “keep the doors open”. Simultaneously, the administration brought in an interior decorator to refurbish the entire building with art, new brightly colored geometric

Challenge: A PT is working in a SNF for some years. A new managing agency takes over. They cut the benefits, cut vacation time and require therapists to take work home to complete the extensive documentation required by Medicare. (of course, they are not paid for the time they spend documenting at home.) Everyone in

Challenge: Your office is booked with patients. A thunderstorm strikes and the lights go out. There is plenty of ambient light coming through the windows. Should you close and reschedule?

Challenge: You are unable to improve mobility in a client with a total knee replacement, despite doing ROM and exercises. They say they are doing their home program, but it is still painfully tight. What do you do?

Challenge: The insurance company just sent you an explanation of benefits for a client with a refusal to pay. What do you do? 1. Send the client a bill for the complete amount. 2. Bill the client at your usual customary rate. 3. Submit an insurance appeal for the client. 4. Write the bill off.

Challenge: The client with the frozen shoulder presents with the same stiffness as the last two visits. You ask her about her home program. She does not even remember what exercises you taught her. Apparently, she is not complying with the home program. What do you say or do to encourage compliance? This is one

Challenge: The client you treated 8 years ago seeks medical records to document a disability. You shredded their records last year. They are dismayed. What do you do? You can offer to compose a report based on what you remember, if you remember, and provide it to the client. If the client was well-known to

You are working on a client with muscle pain and very tender trigger points (TPs). As you dig into the muscle with manual therapy or massage, the client is jumping and complaining about the pain. What do you do? Choices: 1. Keep digging, you think, no pain, no gain. 2. Stop digging and work on