The Section on Women's Health Board of Directors met last weekend for our annual strategic planning retreat. One of the exercises we performed in working on review of our strategic plan was to develop a one minute elevator speech; a concise explanation of who we are and what we do which could be delivered to someone in the time it takes to move on an elevator from the lobby to . . the penthouse suite?
In performing this exercise a question arose which has been batted around like a badminton birdie numerous times since I have been involved in the SoWH: What about the men? Our specialty area of practice crosses gender barriers. Men have pelvic floors. Men have breasts. Men have bones. And so it follows that they can indeed have need for our unique services in treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, breast cancer, and osteoporosis, to name a few.
We cross boundaries with many of the component Sections: Oncology, Geriatrics, Orthopedics, and Sports Medicine can be considered part of our Women's Health practice arena. Where we have our more unique contribution is in the realm of pelvic floor dysfunction, pelvic pain, and bowel and bladder issues.
In my own practice I have seen a considerable shift over the past few years in the gender demographics of my clientele. In treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, the ratio of men to women is drawing closer to 1:1. The wife of one of my post-prostatectomy incontinence patients suggested to me that I "should really consider providing this therapy to women." Hmm, let me ponder that one. There is considerably more "chatter" on the IOPTWH Listserv regarding treatment of men indicating that there is a need and that we have the tools to address this need.
And yet, our name does not reflect this. Perhaps it is time to once again consider changing the name of The Section on Women's Health to better encompass the breadth of our expertise. And with that, do we alter our Mission and Vision statements? What about our logo? Not to mention the name of our newly established Clinical Specialty. This involves a bylaws change and membership vote, but that's the simple part. More challenging by far is deciding and agreeing upon what we should call ourselves. Or should we continue on as the Section on Women's Health, but develop a robust elevator speech that includes all the various facets of our specialty area of practice?
The Board of Directors welcomes your comments on this and any other concern. You can email your thoughts on this topic or any other to me at president@womenshealthapta.org.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
APTA Online Portal: Call for Content Writers
By Wren McLaughlin, PT, DPT, MS
The APTA is building 2 Web portals: PTNow for clinicians and a powerhouse portal version of MoveForwardPT.com for consumers. In collaboration with sections, these portals are being developed with input from members and consumer focus groups across the country. The aim of this very exciting and unified project is to provide clinical decision making support that is easy to access and accurate. With optimized search technology and section-generated content, PTNow will be an entry point to summarized information and clinical applications, a direct route to pre-filtered destinations, and a gateway to sections and their websites.
The SoWH is recruiting content writers for this portal project. We have identified urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, and pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain as the initial priority content areas. In collaboration with sections, the APTA has created an easy-to-use template that includes background, the clinical bottom line with levels of evidence, a case example to illustrate clinical application, videos to demonstrate examination and intervention procedures, direct links to practice patterns in the online guide to physical therapy practice, and links to other useful information. The steering committee is helping to develop review procedures for the content and we are encouraging all interested members to get involved! The APTA and sections will be identifying some basic eligibility criteria for portal contributors soon. The more writers and reviewers involved, the more confident we can be that we are disseminating accurate and useful clinical information!
How Do I Find Out More Information About Residencies in Women's Health?
By Christina L. Holladay, PT, DPT, MA, WCS, CLT-LANA, CSCS
Member of the SOWH Residency Committee
Would you like to find out more information about residencies? If so, please visit the SoWH website. From the SoWH home page, please click on the 'Education' tab on the left side of the page and then select 'Residency Programs.' You will then find a range of women's health residency information, including information about currently accredited programs, programs in development, and how to start a clinical residency program. If you have any questions for the residency committee, please contact Carol Figuers, PT, EdD (figue001@mc.duke.edu).
Plan Ahead: Diane Lee and Paul Hodges Pre-Conference Courses CSM 2011
By Ann Marie Flores, PT, PhD, MS, MA, CLT, Director of Research
SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR RESEARCH GRANTS CHANGED
The SoWH Research Grant Award Program has changed the submission deadline for research proposals. The new deadline is OCTOBER 1, 2010. The SoWH Board of Directors approved the new submission deadline in order to allow a change in the funding period. Previously, the funding period was January 1 to December 31, which was not conducive to learn of the wonderful work by our grantees at the Combined Sections Meeting. The new funding period will begin May 1 and end April 31 and will allow enough time for data collection and submission for professional presentation at CSM.
SoWH FOUNDATION ENDOWMENT IS TAKING CONTRIBUTIONS!
The SoWH made a bold step into the future of women's health physical therapy research by partnering with the Foundation for Physical Therapy to establish a research endowment fund. The initial gift of $100,000 to establish the fund over a period of 5 years was approved at CSM 2010. We are working with the Foundation to develop the fund raising campaign that will be rolled out at CSM 2011.
Think of this as an investment in our vibrant future: As Director of Research, I have pledged $1,500 this year alone and ask that each member consider donating to the endowment fund any amount that you can afford. We have over 2,400 members and if each donated $10 - 20 annually we could raise $24,000 - 48,000 THIS YEAR ALONE. WOW! Think of it - in 5 years, this amount would be between $120,000 - 240,000 or even higher! This level of membership commitment will allow us to fund multi-year, high impact research that can be directly translated to clinical application.
Contributions to the fund are tax-deductible and can be made several ways:
The diagnosis dialogue task force has been newly formed in response to an expressed interest by the Section on Women's Health membership following our section-sponsored WH Diagnosis Dialog (WHDD) programming at the 2010 CSM in San Diego. We have been able to meet twice by conference call and have begun a discussion regarding diagnosis and WH patients. An educational program on developing WH guidelines for diagnosis is being planned for CSM 2011.
To better understand the background on the formation of this task force we encourage you to review the history of the Diagnosis Dialog group at the following site: http://physicaltherapy.wustl.edu/. In addition, a vod cast is available for downloading on the PTJ website and can be accessed through Diagnosis Dialog Share Point site: http://dxdialog.wusm.wustl.edu.
The main objective of the WHDD task force is to suggest guidelines for diagnosing patients within a WH specialty practice. However, we cannot do that without your help. Please consider getting involved by participation in the following:
We are collecting references on nomenclature or standardization of terms that are used by physicians and physical therapists to describe the conditions common to women's health patients. Please send suggestions and any references to Tracy Spitznagle at spitznagle@wusl.edu. Common conditions may include but are not limited to: pelvic organ prolapse, chronic pelvic pain, urinary incontinence/retention, fecal incontinence/constipation, fibromyalgia, musculoskeletal dysfunction associated with pregnancy, osteoporosis, post-surgical care and lymphedema.
Second, please consider participating in the Diagnosis Dialog Share Point survey. This has been developed to facilitate communication of examples of conditions related to PT practice. The WHDD task Force has placed some examples on the site for you to review.
The Overview of Survey section provides some information about the template for examples of diagnoses. The "template" itself is under Surveys. Just click on Movement System Diagnosis Template and it will take you to the "survey" (we are using the "survey" tool just as a means for gathering the information in a somewhat structured manner). Note: You do not need to Request an Account if you just want to look at the other examples. When you are ready to enter your own examples, however, you will need to Request an Account. Instructions are on the site. Also, the vodcast is still on the PTJ site. Click on the Dx Dialog Video Link (on the left hand side of the page) and you will be connected to the PTJ site where you will find a link to the video.
We look forward to reviewing your suggestions.
Update From the SSIG: Recruiting 1st and 2nd Year PT Students For Our...
Update From the SSIG: Recruiting 1st and 2nd Year PT Students For Our Leadership Team.
By Wren McLaughlin, PT, DPT, MS - Director of the SoWH Student Special Interest Group
This summer many of the SSIG leadership team members are making their way out into the working world as newly-minted PTs! Two members have accepted WH residency positions and at least three other team members have accepted positions in WH practices. Fortunately, their commitment to the SSIG is strong and these women will continue to provide strong leadership and great insight into the needs of future students over the next year.
We are actively recruiting for 1st and 2nd year students to join our leadership team. Serving on the SSIG leadership team is an excellent way to network and give you a competitive edge for residencies and jobs. We need enthusiast underclasswomen to pass the SSIG torch to over the next year.
We hope to see many students at National Student Conclave in Cherry Hill, NJ! Come visit the SoWH booth in the exhibit hall and attend one of the three educational lectures on WH on Saturday.
Contact the SSIG via email at sowh.ssig@gmail.com or by phone at (919) 699-3324
Update on Women's Health Specialty Council (WHSC) of the American Board...
Update on Women's Health Specialty Council (WHSC) of the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS)
By Theresa Spitznagle PT, DPT, WCS, WHSC, PR/Marketing
Council Members: Jean Irion, WHSC Chair
Karen Abraham, WHSC, Item Writer Coordinator
Tracy Spitznagle, WHSC Public Relations/Marketing
Congratulations to the 21 newly certified women’s health specialists (WCS):
Tami Imbriale Bannister, PT, MSPT
Margaret R Belongy, PT
Jill S. Boissonnault, PT, PhD
Janice Lukens Bryant, PT, MS
Carolyn Butler Cebalo, PT, MSPT
Jennifer Lyn Chu, PT, MS
Stacie L. Dichsen, PT
Sandra Teresa Gallagher, PT
Christina Lapp Holladay, PT, DPT, CLT, CSCS
Lisa M. Johnson, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS
Melissa S. Keras-Donaghy, PT, DPT
Julie M. Lombardo, PT, MA
Teresa Lou Maciejewski, PT
Jennifer Michaud Maddocks, PT, MPT, CLT
Rheam Mansour, PT, MS, CLT
Meghan Zora Markowski Cucchiara, PT, DPT, MPT
Sylvia B McCandless, PT, DPT
April Jean Neshem, PT, DPT
Julie A. Peterson, PT, DPT
Elizabeth Rachel Shelly, PT, DPT, BCIA-PMDB
Jamie N. Smith, PT, MPT
Specialization examination application process for the 2011 examination cycle.
The application and details on completing the application are posted at the ABPTS website, www.apta.org/specialist_certification.
Instructions for completing the case reflection, the grading rubric for the case reflection for the 2011 application, and an example of a case reflection are provided on the ABPTS website.
Specialization examination application deadline and testing dates:
APPLICATION DEADLINE for the 2011 exam to submit to the Postgraduate Certification Office of the APTA was July 1st, 2010.
TESTING DATES for the specialization examination in 2011 will take place between February 26th, 2011 and March 12th, 2011.
Item Writer Workshop for 2010 and 2011:
If you would like to host an Item Writer Workshop, or have questions about one of the above Workshops contact:
Requirements to participate in the Item Writer Workshop include:
Licensed PT with experience in women’s health
Previous item writer experience not necessary
Do not have to be appointed as an official item writer (SACE member)
Participation will not affect your ability to take the specialization exam
The Women’s Heath Specialty Council will attend their annual meeting at the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) in Philadelphia, PA, on Friday, August 6th, 2010. The meeting agenda includes:
Review of the draft of the 2011 examination
Review and revision of recently submitted test items for admittance into the test item bank
Newly appointed individuals to serve as Women’s Health Specialty Council Member and ABPTS Board Member
Rebecca Stephenson has been appointed as the first Board Certified Women’s Health Clinical Specialist to serve on the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). Congratulations to Rebecca for this appointment. Rebecca started her term July 1, 2010 and will attend the combined Specialty Council/ABPTS Board Meeting in September 2010.
Ruth Maher has been appointed as the new Specialty Council Member to replace Karen Abraham who will be finishing her term in December of 2010. Ruth will start her term in January of 2011.
Applications for the Specialization Academy of Content Experts (SACE) are now being accepted. SACE was established to create a pool of certified specialists and content experts to write items for the specialist certification examinations. Newly appointed members of SACE will be required to complete an online "Introduction to Item Writing Course," and commit to working with an item writing mentor on 5 items you will be asked to develop.
SACE appointments are for 2-year terms beginning January 1, 2011. Board-certified specialists and individuals who are content experts in one of the following practice areas are eligible for appointment: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiologic, Geriatric, Neurologic, Orthopaedic, Pediatric, Sports, and Women's Health Physical Therapy. The deadline for submitting applications is August 20, 2010.
If interested in applying, please click on the link below to complete the online SACE application form. A current resume or curriculum vitae must also be submitted via email (spec-cert@apta.org) or fax (703-706-8186).
Review of applications for individuals to serve as SACE members. These applications will be reviewed in August and September of 2010 and appointments made shortly thereafter. These new SACE members will start their term to assist with development of test items in January of 2011.
Review applications and case reflections to start in August of 2010 for those applications for the 2011 exam.
Jean Irion to attend the Combined ABPTS, Specialty Council Chair Meeting in Alexandria, VA on September 11 & 12, 2010.
WHSC to participate in conference call meetings as needed.
Prepare for Opening Ceremony at CSM 2011 to recognize the next cohort of Women’s Health Specialists. The Council hopes that these new specialists will be in attendance to be recognized and that many other women’s health practitioners will be there to congratulate them and cheer them on.
Work with the SoWH Board of Directors for the Section to recognize the specialists at CSM 2011.
Continue to develop a Policy and Procedures manual and an “annual calendar of council activities” for the Women’s Health Specialty Council.
Use of CAPP Designation
By Carrie Schwoerer PT, OCS; Director of Education
Congratulations to each of you who have earned the CAPP-Pelvic Certificate. Your hard work is to be commended.
Numerous requests have come in asking for clarification of how the CAPP certificate can be used to the stakeholder's benefit on business cards, correspondence, and advertising. CAPP is not recognized by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists (ABPTS) as is the Women's Certified Specialist (WCS). As such, the acronym CAPP should not be used following a professional's name. An alternative to use of these letters is to include a statement indicating your areas of practice. An example might look like: Certificate of Achievement in Pelvic PT including treatment of urinary and fecal incontinence as well as chronic pelvic pain.
Once you receive your CAPP, your name is placed on the SoWH website. From here your fellow colleagues will be able to find you as well as consumers.
IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU!
Resident Graduates
By: Amanda Miller, PT, DPT, SOWH Member
Women's Health Physical Therapy, Inc. (WHPT) of Richmond, VA is proud to announce the graduation of its latest resident, Victoria Schwartz, PT, DPT. WHPT is a privately owned physical therapy clinic specializing in women's health, and has been an APTA credentialed Residency Program in the area of women's health since 2008. According to the APTA, a residency is a "planned program of post-professional clinical and didactic education that is designed to advance significantly the physical therapist's preparation as a provider of patient care services in a defined area of clinical practice." The Residency Program at WHPT is a 10-12 month program that prepares physical therapists to effectively and efficiently evaluate and treat men and women who present with urogynecological and other musculoskeletal signs and symptoms through a comprehensive educational experience. Graduates are prepared to sit for the women's health specialist certification exam. Dr. Schwartz plans to take the exam in 2011.
Victoria Schwartz, PT, DPT is originally from Pennsylvania, and attended undergraduate and physical therapy school at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. She earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2008, and began the Residency Program in 2009 after working for a year in Illinois. Post-residency, she will continue her work in women's health PT in Cincinnati, Ohio. Victoria is an extremely motivated student, resident, and physical therapist who has had an interest in women's health since 2006 when she read an article in the June 2006 PT magazine entitled "Improving Women's Health Across the Lifespan." She is a strong advocate for women's health to fellow providers and in the community, and has excelled in this area during her residency. She is a devoted clinician, a motivated educator, and a great friend, and WHPT is proud and excited to watch her succeed in her career and in life. We will miss her dearly.
SoWH NAMES AWARD IN HONOR OF WOMEN'S HEALTH PHYSICAL THERAPY...
SoWH NAMES AWARD IN HONOR OF WOMEN'S HEALTH PHYSICAL THERAPY PIONEER, ELAINE MEADOWS, PT
By Ann Marie Flores, PT, PhD, MS, MA, CLT, Director of Research
The SoWH's dear friend and colleague, Elaine Meadows, PT, passed away quietly on June 11, 2010 after a courageous battle against cancer. Originally, from Staten Island, New York, Elaine graduated from Susan E. Wagner High School. Following her lifelong dream to go to California, she graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz with a double major in economics and environmental studies. She also received a certificate in massage therapy, which led to her passion, a physical therapy career. Elaine moved to Atlanta, Georgia and in 1987 received her Masters of Physical Therapy from Emory University.
A noted author and speaker in women's health physical therapy, Elaine has served the SoWH in a variety of roles, most notably as the Southeast Regional Representative. She was honored by the SoWH in 2006 with our highest award, "The Elizabeth Noble Award" for her pioneering efforts in women's health physical therapy. The SoWH has named "The Elaine Meadows Research Scholar Award" in her honor to recognize her legacy in education and career development of rising women's health physical therapy scholars. The "Section On Women's Health Elaine Meadows Research Scholar Award" is truly unique and now a very important part of the history of the SoWH. The award program is designed to defray the costs of attending the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in order to disseminate research findings and establish a national network of research colleagues. The opportunity to apply for the award is available to those members of the SOWH who are eligible for presentation of research findings at the annual Combined Sections Meeting of the APTA. The SOWH is the only section of the APTA to have such an award and allows the SOWH to stand on the vanguard of professional development because of Elaine's pioneering contributions.
Elaine is survived by her son, Alan Graham Pitt, her loving parents, Larry and Helen Sharfstein, a devoted brother and sister-in-law, Howard and Mary Sharfstein, as well as her many wonderful nieces, nephews, and cousins. Contributions to the "Section on Women's Health Elaine Meadows Research Scholar Award" may be made through the American Physical Therapy Association (1111 N. Fairfax St.; Alexandria, VA 22314, attn: Kathie St. Clair, Executive Director, SOWH).
SoWH 2010 Elections
By The Nominating Committee of the Section on Women's Health: Chair: Elizabeth Lewis, PT, OCS and members Stacy Tylka, PT, DPT, WCS, CLT and Carrie James Pagliano, PT, DPT, WCS, OCS MTC
Electronic Voting Opens October 1st. Please take part in the election process for SoWH!
The Section on Women's Health will hold elections electronically again this year. The election process will begin on approximately October 1st, 2010. The closing date is Tuesday, November 9th. We have excellent candidates for the section's leadership positions. Please take the time to read each of the candidate's position statements and then cast your vote.
Please ensure that we have your current e-mail address on file by contacting APTA's Membership Department at membership@apta.org or by calling 800/999-2782, ext. 3124. Members will receive a postcard notification when the elections will open and close. You may request a paper ballot by emailing the Section office at SoWH@apta.org, through the SoWH Web site at www.womenshealthapta.org, or by calling 800/999-2782, ext. 3229.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the nomination process this year! Thank you to the members who have stepped forward to serve in a leadership role. It is also important to thank those who considered running this year but had to decline because of other commitments. A special thanks must be given to one nominee, Pamela Mills, who decided not to run but also has chosen to volunteer as an assistant to the Director of Financial Development, both to serve the section and also to learn more about the position. This is a commendable way to make a more informed decision about serving the section in the future. Thank you Pam!
Please make your voice heard and vote! We have a slate of high quality candidates. Each of the candidates will serve our section for a three-year term. The candidates are as follows:
Nominating Committee Member - Amy Pannullo & Ruth Maher Director of Communications - Jennifer Klestinski Director of Financial Development - Sarah Haag
Director of Programming - Sandra Hilton Secretary - Susan Clinton
Your active participation in our Section on Women's Health is very important, so let your voice be heard and VOTE. Thank you in advance for taking the time to VOTE.
Slate of Candidates:
Nominating Committee Member
Amy Pannullo, BS, BA, MA, DPT, WCS, ATC, CCI I have been involved on the clinical side of treating women's health patients for nearly 4 years. I am an active advocate for both the profession of PT and the specialty of women's/men's health PT. Daily I advocate for my patients, and encourage them to do so for them selves. I would now like the opportunity to advocate at the professional level where my voice can have a broader effect on the future of both women's and men's health care. For more information on this candidate, please click here.
Ruth Maher, BS, MPT, DPT, WCS, BCB-PMD I've been involved in women's health since 2002. My mission is to encourage inclusion of women's health classes in entry-level DPT curriculums and encourage students to continue their education post graduation in women's health. I endeavor to educate the public and other healthcare providers regarding the role and benefits of physical therapy in women's health and enhance the profile of women's health specialists. Physical Therapy is my second career. Previously, I worked as a business analyst for the world bank and for a large utility company in Ireland. My skills from my previous career are readily transferable to any profession with regard to organization, marketing, report preparation and I believe would serve the SOWH and APTA well. It would be an honor and privilege for me to serve a profession I love and enhance the body of knowledge with regard to efficacious interventions for women. For more information on this candidate, please click here.
Director of Communications
Jennifer Klestinski, PT, MPT, OCS, WCS, CSCS, BCB-PMD With nine years of clinical experience primarily in WH, and passion for a practical/grass roots approach blended with clinical excellence and proactive communication I will strive to work well with other BOD members, APTA, and other organizations as necessary to raise the SoWH to a new level as a resource for members and the public. I bring a unique perspective blending orthopedics, women's health, and my hobbies (running/triathlons) into the lumbopelvic injury recovery/post-partum fitness/post-menopausal/post-mastectomy arenas that I believe many of our clients are seeking. I am a huge advocate for our profession. While gains have been made in terms of getting the word out on what WH PTs offer, we still have a long way to go to make WH PT a "go to" name for a myriad of healthcare/wellness issues. I'd like to help elevate qualified WH PTs towards that level of recognition. WH PTs are vital for healthcare cost management through our ability to detect & treat root causes then educate on prevention. Relevant skills: hard working, enjoys public speaking, organized, clinical experience & designations, enjoys collaboration, good communicator, motivating others/delegating. For more information on this candidate, please click here.
Director of Financial Development
Sarah Haag, MSPT, DPT, WCS I am very interested in assisting the Section on Women's Health in any way possible. At the Combined Sections Meeting, I was able to see for the first time what our Board does. I have been a member of the Section for the past 5 years, and have benefited from the educational programs, as well as being able to become a certified specialist, thanks to the hard work of our section. I would like to run for Director of Financial Development in order to learn more about our relationships with vendors, as well as to learn more out the revenue building activities that will assist the financial position of our Section. For more information on this candidate, please click here.
Director of Programming
Sandra Hilton, MSPT The SOWH has a large part to play in the APTA and in community education. Quality education is a necessity for our profession to advance and remain relevant in the changing health care in our country. We must stay current with research and clinical application to provide the best care for our patients. As Physical Therapists we belong in the center of the health care team for men and women's health issues. I believe this level of education to be important enough to spend time helping to bring quality sessions to the membership.
As Program Chair I can help to continue the high quality of educators and clinicians in order to advance the training within our section, as well as to improve the visibility of the SOWH to the general APTA membership. For more information on this candidate, please click here.
Secretary
Susan Clinton, PT, MHS, OCS, WCS It has been a privilege to be able to serve the Section on Women's Health as Secretary, and I am running for a second term to complete the work I have started in this position. Over the last two years, we have made many changes to begin to streamline our documentation and increase the efficiency of our Board of Director meetings. We have moved to a Consent Agenda and electronic formatting to decrease expense with Component Services and to improve the ability of the BOD to act with greater fiduciary responsibility. The next initiative is to adopt and implement an improved formatting for BOD and Member's meetings with Roberts Rules of Order.
The updated strategic plan for the section is also in its beginning stages as we have completed the first survey and will begin to consider the directives given to the BOD by the membership. My goal is to help create a dynamic strategic plan that can address our future goals and accommodate changes in an efficient manner. I look forward to working with the membership and the BOD as we move forward to consider the future of our Section. For more information on this candidate, please click here.
Volunteer Openings
By Frieda Alessi PT, DPT, Volunteer Coordinator
Would you like to make a difference and contribute to the growth of Women's Health Physical Therapy? Please consider offering some of your time and talent as a volunteer for the Women's Health Section. To be eligible for a volunteer position, you must be a member of the section, and have e-mail access. The term for volunteer positions is 3 years, with a maximum of two terms. The following positions are open:
Advertising and Marketing Coordinator
Product Endorsement Committee Members
Product Endorsement Chair
Finance Committee Member
Media Coordinator
Case Report Reviewers for the CAPP process
Education Resource Coordinator
Newsletter Editor
State Representatives:
Delaware
New Hampshire
New York (West Region)
Vermont
Puerto Rico
South Carolina
Tennessee (West Region)
Michigan
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Northern California
Southern California
New Mexico
Please contact Frieda Alessi, Volunteer Coordinator, at extensionspt@sbcglobal.net for more information. You can also view the position descriptions on the section's website. If you do not see a position that interests you but would like to help in some way, send an e-mail with a brief description of what your interests are.
Attention Student Members!!!
The following positions are available in the Student Special Interest group:
Board of Directors Northwest
For more information on these positions, contact sowh.ssig@gmail.com, or call (919) 699-3324.
RULES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING YOUR PRACTICE
Federal Affairs Update
By Susan C. Abis PT, Federal Affairs Liaison/ SOWH
CMS Issues 2011 Proposed Physician Fee Schedule Rule - Contains Proposed Pay Cuts for Outpatient Therapy Services
On June 25, 2010 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the proposed physician fee schedule rule that would implement key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and update payment rates under the physician fee schedule for services furnished on or after January 1, 2011 (CY 2011). If this rule becomes effective, physicians, physical therapists and other health care professionals would receive a 6.1% cut to their Medicare payments starting January 1, 2011 in addition to the 21.3% reduction that has been delayed several times already this year due to the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula. This reduction was replaced with a 2.2% update until November 30, 2010 when the President signed the "Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010" on Friday, June 25th.
In addition to the projected reductions due to the SGR, CMS also proposes a multiple procedure payment reduction policy (MPPR) that would result in significant reductions in payment for outpatient therapy services. Specifically, CMS proposes to make full payment for the therapy service or unit with the highest practice expense value and payment of 50 percent of the practice expense component for the second and subsequent procedures or units of the service furnished during the same day for the same patient. The work and malpractice components of the therapy service payment would not be reduced.
The proposed multiple procedure payment reduction policy would apply to both the services paid under the physician fee schedule (PFS) that are furnished in the office setting and those services paid at the PFS rates that are furnished by outpatient hospitals, home health agencies (Part B), skilled nursing facilities (Part B), comprehensive rehabilitation facilities, and other entities that are paid by Medicare for outpatient therapy services. It is estimated that if the multiple procedure payment reduction policy were implemented, payment for outpatient therapy services would be reduced by approximately 13% in addition to the projected SGR payment cut for CY 2011.
APTA is gravely concerned with the magnitude of these proposed reductions in payment, and believes that CMS's proposal to apply the multiple procedure payment reduction to outpatient therapy services is based on flawed presumptions and has no justification. APTA will aggressively work to stop implementation of the proposed MPPR policy and the SGR payment reductions. CMS also includes extensive discussion in the proposed rule of several potential alternatives to the therapy caps that could lead to more appropriate payment for medically necessary and effective therapy services that are furnished efficiently. They solicit public comments on this proposed rule regarding all aspects of these alternatives.
CMS will accept comments on the proposed rule until August 24, 2010 and will respond to them in the final rule to be issued on or about November 1, 2010. APTA will submit extensive comments in response to this rule and work with its members on various advocacy strategies to avoid this unsustainable and unjustified payment cut.
The Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act (H.R.43/S.46)
This legislation will repeal the cap on therapy services for Medicare beneficiaries once and for all. If Congress does not take action by December 31, 2010, the therapy cap will again be imposed on Medicare-covered physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language pathology services. We need to take action NOW to ensure the cap does not go back into place.
Student Loan Repayment (HR 988/S. 1057)
This bill adds physical therapy to the definition of the National Health Service Corps' primary health services by amending Section 331(a)(3)(D) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254d(a)(3)(D). This Bill adds physical therapists to the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program to the list of eligible providers by amending Section 338B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l-1)
The bill adds the following to the Loan Repayment Program's eligibility requirements by amending Section 338B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l-1).
1. receipt of a doctoral or master's degree in physical therapy;
2. enrollment in a physical therapy graduate training program; and
3. enrollment as a full-time student in a course of a study or program leading to a degree in physical therapy
MEDPAC Report- June 17, 2010
According to MedPAC's Report to the Congress: Aligning Incentives in Medicare, certain services provided by physicians have experienced rapid volume growth over the past 5 years, contributing to Medicare's growing financial burden on taxpayers and beneficiaries. The commission's report points to studies that have found physicians with a financial interest in physical therapy initiate therapy for patients with musculoskeletal injuries more frequently than other physicians and that physician-owned physical therapy clinics provide more visits per patient than non-physician-owned clinics. Moreover, says MedPAC, there is evidence that some diagnostic imaging and physical therapy services ordered by physicians are not clinically appropriate. Thus, MedPAC has identified a policy option to exclude physical therapy services - among other therapeutic services - from the exception under the Ethics in Patient Referral Act (also known as the Stark law) that currently allows physicians to "self refer" patients for ancillary services in which they have a financial relationship.
Payment Policy and Advocacy Committee
By Pat Salin Huston, MSPT, BCB-PMD, SoWH PP&A Committee Member
Hot Topic Q & A
Charges for Sensors, Medicare (CMS) vs. Non-federal Providers
Question:
A recent question forwarded from a member mirrored discussions on the IOPTWH listserves: "Can you bill insurance companies for vaginal probes and be reimbursed? If you are not billing for them, do you require your patients to pay out of pocket for them?"
Answer:
“If a payer is using the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) methodology for payment, supplies are included in the practice expense component of the procedure code values and are not separately payable.” This is the most common payment methodology both for private payers and CMS.
“However, in some cases where a private payer is using another payment methodology (such as usual, customary, and reasonable), then separate payment for supplies may be allowed.” Contacting individual payers to clarify their billing requirements and methodology prior to billing a patient is advised.
Answer provided by APTA Payment Policy and Advocacy Staff
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Question:
How will Healthcare Reform affect the Coverage of Women?
The passing of the recent legislation, H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, naturally raises concerns among women’s health physical therapists that in the past have struggled to obtain reimbursements and self-payments for a variety of services.
Historical reality of some insurance plans:
Greater financial burden for women of childbearing ages.
C-Sections listed as “pre-existing conditions.”
Enforced waiting periods before coverage of any maternity benefit.
Additional premiums to cover pregnancy, post-partum or infant care.
Answer:
Future Culture of Healthcare Reform from APTA:
C-Sections will not be labeled as pre-existing conditions.
Premium costs between men and women will be equitable.
The Payment Policy and Advocacy Staff recommend that PT’s frequently visit APTA’s Health Care Reform Resource Center (www.apta.org/healthcarereform). Briefs on a variety of the provisions of the health reform law applicable to PTs will be posted in the months to come.
My local House representative, Congressman Periello, provided further clarifications:
Women with individual plans will not need to pay extra for maternity benefits, and the waiting period will be eliminated. (Women with group plans already have this benefit.)
The details of healthcare reform are being specifically outlined in legislative discussions, which are documented to ensure they are included.
The Affordable Care Act has changes occurring over several years, with many of these items taking effect by 2014.
One of our committee members, Allison Ariail, PT, DPT, CLT, provided an interesting analysis produced by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and a broad spectrum of specialists http://www.mailmanschool.org/facultypubs/womenshealthcarereform.pdf. Independent of the APTA, this non-government report provides a number of statistics and statements that are supportive of the many aspects of care (including women’s rights to reproductive healthcare) through the continuum of ages.
Involvement in Advocacy, Payment and Policy
Question:
What if the whole healthcare debate and reimbursement issues interest me?
Answer:
Please to volunteer for our committee! Some current tasks of ours:
Developing Frequently Asked Questions Documents (in conjunction with APTA staff) for various types of women’s health impairment clusters.
Working with state representatives and reimbursement chairs to maintain updated regional distinctions in payment policies on the SoWH website.
Providing expert input when requested by APTA staff related to CMS or other payer issues. Short bursts of technical practice analysis by a few volunteers have been so helpful over this past year!
Organizing a list of references and evidence based articles to include within APTA’s Hooked on Evidence.
Update the website including samples of successful appeals letters and documentation tips.
Certification/CAPP
The Section on Women's Health Board of Directors met last weekend for our annual strategic planning retreat. One of the exercises we performed in working on review of our strategic plan was to develop a one minute elevator speech; a concise explanation of who we are and what we do which could be delivered to someone in the time it takes to move on an elevator from the lobby to . . the penthouse suite?
I have been involved on the clinical side of treating women's health patients for nearly 4 years. I am an active advocate for both the profession of PT and the specialty of women's/men's health PT. Daily I advocate for my patients, and encourage them to do so for them selves. I would now like the opportunity to advocate at the professional level where my voice can have a broader effect on the future of both women's and men's health care. For more information on this candidate, 
I've been involved in women's health since 2002. My mission is to encourage inclusion of women's health classes in entry-level DPT curriculums and encourage students to continue their education post graduation in women's health. I endeavor to educate the public and other healthcare providers regarding the role and benefits of physical therapy in women's health and enhance the profile of women's health specialists. Physical Therapy is my second career. Previously, I worked as a business analyst for the world bank and for a large utility company in Ireland. My skills from my previous career are readily transferable to any profession with regard to organization, marketing, report preparation and I believe would serve the SOWH and APTA well. It would be an honor and privilege for me to serve a profession I love and enhance the body of knowledge with regard to efficacious interventions for women. For more information on this candidate, 
With nine years of clinical experience primarily in WH, and passion for a practical/grass roots approach blended with clinical excellence and proactive communication I will strive to work well with other BOD members, APTA, and other organizations as necessary to raise the SoWH to a new level as a resource for members and the public. I bring a unique perspective blending orthopedics, women's health, and my hobbies (running/triathlons) into the lumbopelvic injury recovery/post-partum fitness/post-menopausal/post-mastectomy arenas that I believe many of our clients are seeking. I am a huge advocate for our profession. While gains have been made in terms of getting the word out on what WH PTs offer, we still have a long way to go to make WH PT a "go to" name for a myriad of healthcare/wellness issues. I'd like to help elevate qualified WH PTs towards that level of recognition. WH PTs are vital for healthcare cost management through our ability to detect & treat root causes then educate on prevention. Relevant skills: hard working, enjoys public speaking, organized, clinical experience & designations, enjoys collaboration, good communicator, motivating others/delegating. For more information on this candidate, 
I am very interested in assisting the Section on Women's Health in any way possible. At the Combined Sections Meeting, I was able to see for the first time what our Board does. I have been a member of the Section for the past 5 years, and have benefited from the educational programs, as well as being able to become a certified specialist, thanks to the hard work of our section. I would like to run for Director of Financial Development in order to learn more about our relationships with vendors, as well as to learn more out the revenue building activities that will assist the financial position of our Section. For more information on this candidate, 
The SOWH has a large part to play in the APTA and in community education. Quality education is a necessity for our profession to advance and remain relevant in the changing health care in our country. We must stay current with research and clinical application to provide the best care for our patients. As Physical Therapists we belong in the center of the health care team for men and women's health issues. I believe this level of education to be important enough to spend time helping to bring quality sessions to the membership. 
It has been a privilege to be able to serve the Section on Women's Health as Secretary, and I am running for a second term to complete the work I have started in this position. Over the last two years, we have made many changes to begin to streamline our documentation and increase the efficiency of our Board of Director meetings. We have moved to a Consent Agenda and electronic formatting to decrease expense with Component Services and to improve the ability of the BOD to act with greater fiduciary responsibility. The next initiative is to adopt and implement an improved formatting for BOD and Member's meetings with Roberts Rules of Order.