by Marius Ged, on Nov 7, 2022 4:00:39 PM
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 in the physical therapy field this month.
This Month In FL Physical Therapy News
1) BayCare Offering New Knee Replacement Surgery Approach
The Morton Plant Hospital in BayCare has recently become the first hospital in the entire area of Tampa Bay to offer a lateral approach to knee surgery replacement. The norm of knee replacement surgeries typically requires the surgeon to cut the quadriceps muscle.
However, this new lateral approach does the contrary; thus, the name Quadricep Sparing Surgery. The notable advantages of this new knee replacement surgery are the small incision scar and the short recovery period.
David Cheong, MD, an orthopedic surgeon, has seen these advantages to effect as he has been performing surgeries at Morton Plant Hospital since July. Dr. Cheong stated that the procedure may be technically challenging but also noted that the procedure's benefits would be worth taking time off his Practice to learn it.
Industry Updates
1) MIT, MGH Create VR System to Advance Physical Therapy at Home
Technological advancements in physical therapy have birthed a new system to help with the advancement of treatment. Researchers from MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital created a motion and muscle engagement monitoring system which will enable unsupervised physical rehabilitation. The elderly and athletes prone to physical injury will benefit from the system.
The system will notably solve the problem of insufficient physical therapists to attend to the high number of patients with disability conditions. The system operates through a wearable sensor-based device and a virtual reality platform, MuscleRehab.
The device calculates muscle engagement and visualizes it on the virtual muscle skeleton avatar. Electrical impedance tomography is an imaging technique that measures how the muscles are moving using a VR headset and a tracking suit, allowing patients to watch themselves perform with the assistance of a physical therapist.
Researchers say the system can improve therapeutic accuracy and post-rehab evaluations and possibly prevent re-injury.
2) Clinical Trial Shows Implantable Shock Absorber Relieves Knee Pain, Delays Knee Replacement
Preliminary clinical trials indicate that shock absorbers can relieve knee pain and delay knee replacement. A significant number of people suffer from osteoarthritis, which is a condition commonly associated with knee pain. The most common ways of mitigating knee pain are injection, physical therapy, and in severe cases, total knee replacement.
A study from a clinical trial center presented at the orthopedic symposium in Boston indicates that a device that can be implanted at the knee joint can act as a shock absorber. The device has a piston that anchors to the inner side of the femur and tibia bones with a small plate.
Trial data showed a significant reduction in pain and improvement in function scores for more than 90% of the 81 trial participants. The clinical trial for this shock absorber has collected two years' worth of data, which is under regulatory review by the F.D.A.
Growing Your Practice
1) Six Secrets to Driving Patient Satisfaction In Physical Therapy
Ultimately, patients are the reason why physical therapy practices and clinics are in existence. As such, physiotherapists must ensure that they put the satisfaction of their patients above all interests.
You can scale up the satisfaction of patients in various ways. Good treatment during physiotherapy sessions is not the only thing that will boost patient satisfaction and retention. Below are six more ways in which you can meet the satisfaction of your PT patients:
1. Make a good impression
As a service provider, a patient's impression of you from their first visit is significant. The first impression determines patient satisfaction and, eventually, the retention rate. The patient should have a great experience from the first visit and even after they are done with the PT sessions. A good impression will mostly center around a friendly environment. Consequently, you should ensure that your staff has apt interpersonal skills.
2. Regular communication with patients
Communicating with patients regularly is essential to your Practice. Engaging with patients should, in fact, not be limited to clinic visits. You can check in on your patients after they visit your clinic. You can't deny it feels good to have someone check on you when ailing or recovering. Social media is another excellent way of engaging your patients. Newsletters, for instance, keep the patients informed and educated about your Practice.
3. Conducive environment
The worst thing you could do to an already ailing patient is to make the environment unbearable. A conducive environment will drive up patient satisfaction. Patient comfort is critical; therefore, the equipment and the general setting should be comfortable.
4. Transparent payment policy
Financial talk can be very awkward if clear guidelines are not set and followed. You may quickly drive away patients and, worse still, run a loss. You should select a transparent payment policy before establishing a PT clinic. It is crucial to profoundly educate your patients on the payment policies of your Practice.
5. Seek feedback
Feedback is a sure way of checking patient contentment. You can also use it to your PT practice's advantage. Typically, if a patient gives feedback on what to improve and you mitigate the issue, it will never be a point of complaint again. Seek and embrace, therefore, both the positive and negative feedback
6. Establish a measure for success in your Practice
Your customers are not the only ones who should keep you in check as a practice. You should have a means of measuring your success and seeing what you should do to improve service delivery. You can do this using online reviews, wait time within the clinic, and revenue collection.
Has PIP Insurance Underpaid Your Practice? Engage Our Recovery Service
Insurance companies tend to underpay and frustrate PT practice. Florida insurance companies are especially notorious as they invoke a 2007 Florida anti-fraud law to underpay for medical treatment.
At Ged Lawyers, we run revenue audits on your unpaid or underpaid PIP claims on file at your practice. Furthermore, our services come at no charge to medical providers. Our team gets paid from the penalty and interest fees, while medical providers receive the reclaimed payment.
Our track record indicates thousands of successful recovery claims for various practices. We follow a lawful procedure with a team of skillful and experienced GED lawyers.
Partner with Our Firm to Recover more Income for Your Physical Therapy Practice
Medical practices need to get a partner with a reliable and transparent way of recovering PIP claims. The attorneys at Ged Lawyers have an excellent track record of success in claims recovery. We relieve you of duties such as sending demand letters, litigating cases, conducting follow-up communications, and processing payouts.
Contact us today at 561-995-1966 or through our website to learn more about how our service can help you increase your income.
