by Marius Ged, on Jul 20, 2022 9:51:56 AM
Keep up with the latest physical therapy news and insights from the industry’s trusted legal partner, Ged Lawyers. Here is an overview of what happened this month in the physical therapy field.
What’s New in FL Physical Therapy
1) FYZICAL East Fort Myers Brings Physical Therapy and Balance Services to a New Location
FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers established a new clinic in Arbor Towne, East Fort Myers, Florida. The clinic will offer services with the help of an experienced physical therapist using cutting-edge technology. The services provided in this clinic include post-surgical rehabilitation, balance and vestibular, orthopedic, and other physical therapy services.
Dr. Chris Mulvey, president of FYZICAL’s company clinics, believes that no one should travel more than 10 to 15 minutes to see a physical therapist. In a prepared statement, he stated, “the goal is to open clinics in communities that are either underserved for physical therapy or have a demographic that lends itself to physical therapy services.”
Leading FYZICAL East Fort Myers is Clinic Director Dr. Meagan Lewis, PT, DPT, CIDN. She relocated to Florida after receiving her doctorate to provide a supportive atmosphere for patients to heal.
This new opening results from a thorough analysis of the company’s physical evaluation and medical background, the desire to develop an advanced rehabilitation program, and a commitment to providing wellness plans bridging physiology, exercise, and diet.
Visit fyzical.com/east-fort-Myers-fl to learn more about FYZICAL or to make an appointment.
Industry Updates
1) Virtual Physical Therapy May Improve Function, Patient Satisfaction after TKA
Research showed patients who utilized a virtual physical therapy program after total knee arthroplasty had similar outcomes to patients who used a formal physical therapy program.
Brandon H. Naylor, DO, an arthritis and total joint specialist at Northside Hospital, and colleagues randomly enrolled patients having same-day discharge TKA in either a virtual or a formal physical therapy program.
Researchers gathered data from:
- Osteoarthritis outcomes
- Joint replacement scores
- Physical health components
- Veterans Rand-12 (VR-12) mental summary scores
- Knee injury scores preoperatively (at 6 and 12 weeks postoperatively)
- The timed-up-and-go (TUG) test
- Range of motion findings
- and the 4-meter gait speed test
All program participants were measured according to the same criteria.
Researchers gathered data on physical therapy use at 90 days postoperatively. They found no differences in the results other than that the patients who underwent the virtual physical therapy were more generally satisfied. Satisfaction levels mainly came from participants saving time and money due to the virtual attendance feature.
2) Specialized Physiotherapy May Improve Sexual Health in Women with Systemic Sclerosis
According to data presented at the EULAR 2022 Congress, specialized physical therapy can help female patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) improve their sexual function.
Twelve women with SSc and four with IIM were subjects of a pilot study poised to evaluate whether specialized therapy in patients with systemic sclerosis and inflammatory myopathies improved their sexual function. Participants were into two groups; intervention and control. The intervention group was subjected to specialized therapy while the control group wasn't.
The 8-week specialized therapy regimen comprised of pelvic floor exercises and physiotherapy for musculoskeletal conditions. Both restricted the patient's sexual function.
Female sexual function was evaluated after the program; statistically, it was shown to have improved for patients in the intervention group.
According to Thea Vliet, vice president of EULAR Health Professionals in Rheumatology, the study proved to be significant in identifying a problem and showcasing a possible way of supporting patients with sexual issues related to their rheumatic disease.
Growing Your Practice
1) How to Solve the Competition Problem in Digital Marketing
A significant obstacle to medical practice marketing success is due to the overwhelming amount of industry competition. While you cannot instantly remove your competitors from the market, finding creative strategies to stand out should be paramount.
Here are some recommendations:
- Get to know your competitors. Understanding their strengths and weaknesses will give you a clear path to optimizing your offers.
- Differentiate yourself. Stand out from the competition and create certainty for your target audience. Focus on a distinct geographic area and demographic customer intent, as well as develop a brand, image, and voice that sets you apart from your rivals.
- Outspend where appropriate. You may have to spend a few hundred dollars on your digital marketing strategy if you want to outrank some of your biggest competitors.
- Utilizing the competition to your advantage can occasionally open up new possibilities for improving your company through initiatives like content collaboration, alliances, or optimizing for your competitor's keywords.
- Prioritize client retention. Maximize the value of each new customer you attract to your brand through offering support and building stronger customer relationships.
2) Attorneys without A BAA Could Put Your Practice at Risk - Here's Why
The law requires all medical professionals and their associates to safeguard the private information of their patients per the Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Healthcare providers must get into a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with any third party with access to a patient's identifiable information, including legal representatives.
Therefore, if you hire a lawyer without a BAA, you could face fines of up to $50,000 per file or greater in civil litigation. This article by Ged Lawyers highlights the dangers of referring personal injury protection cases without signed agreements and examples of medical providers fined for HIPAA violations.
3) Unlock More Revenue for Your Physiotherapy Practice with Ged Lawyers
With over 25 years of experience, GED lawyers are committed to the success of our medical partners. Holding insurers accountable for their legal commitments strengthens public policy and safeguards the income of our medical practitioners.
Contact us to learn more about how to increase your practice's revenue. Call us at (561) 867-4765 or toll-free at 844 - 4GEDLAW to schedule a consultation.
