Physical Therapists Are In A Unique Position To Educate Their Patients To Think Critically

Navigating the healthcare industry these days can be a daunting and overwhelming task for the average consumer. Understanding the details of one’s health insurance policy—premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, and the like—is often challenging enough, and that’s before the patient even steps foot in a doctor’s office. Determining which medical professional to see, what questions to ask at the appointment, and how to interpret test results and treatment recommendations can be even more stressful, which leaves many patients rather apprehensive about seeking out care.

But according to Justin Pezick, PT, DPT, co-owner of Applied Continuing Education (ACE), physical therapists are in a unique and privileged position to help patients better navigate this process. Justin believes that because physical therapists have the most touch points with the public, it’s their responsibility to educate patients on how to they can take more control and get the most out of their healthcare experience.

Teaching therapists how to better empower patients

This patient empowerment is at the very core of the continuing education courses offered at ACE. Justin and fellow co-owner Mike Stare, PT, DPT started ACE because they weren’t satisfied with the landscape at the time and felt that a much higher level of education and treatment was necessary to help patients achieve long-term success. That led them to meticulously create two physical therapy continuing education courses (“Weight Management for Rehab Patients” and “Shoulder Pain and Dysfunction”) upon these guiding principles.

“We really want to empower patients to change their lives,” Justin says. “When you’re taught that you have control over your pain, that power is a game changer, but it’s a matter of time before they see it. Patients have to be in the right place to accept the message, so they need to repeat it every day. The takeaway is that I pointed you in the right direction, but you did it.”

Helping patients and PTs get the most out of patient care

Ultimately, what Justin and Mike strive to accomplish through the ACE continuing education courses is to place more responsibility in the hands of both therapists and patients. Patients have a responsibility every time they enter a healthcare provider’s office, but—based on ACE’s school of thought—physical therapists could be the guiding force that explains this responsibility to their patients. That’s why the ACE courses offer ways to teach physical therapists how to help patients prepare for their visits so they can get the most out of it. This means educating patients on how to critically evaluate what they want and what their goals are, and perhaps most importantly of all, asking lots of questions during their visit.

“We want patients to have 20 questions going into their appointment and 20 more questions once the doctor starts talking,” Justin says. “If the patient is satisfied with those answers, they should stick with that doctor. If not, they should go somewhere else.”

Asking questions and not being satisfied when a sole diagnosis is given without context empowers patients to be better advocates for their own health and ensures that they have more control over the decisions that are made. When executed properly, this will also increase the likelihood of a successful outcome and satisfied patient, which should be the goal of every healthcare experience.

But according to Justin, it can go even further than this: “The last dot is that patients can take this level of control and can apply it to any situation they encounter in life, and they have the proof of success from successfully addressing their pain,” he says.

Contact ACE to learn more
If you’re interested in learning more about these courses, review the ACE website to see if the courses align with your needs and values. You can also contact ACE at 781-229-8011 or info@physicaltherapyceus.com, as Mike and Justin are both more than happy to discuss their courses and answer any questions you might have.

Physical therapists have numerous responsibilities to their patients, their practice, and the profession that help ensure they are consistently delivering the highest quality of care possible. One of the biggest responsibilities that nearly all physical therapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) must fulfill is taking continuing medical education (CME) courses to update their knowledge and skills and stay up to date on the latest developments in the field.

Physical therapy continuing education units (CEUs) are regulated by the state licensing boards of physical therapy, each of which has its own policies and procedures. These requirements vary from state to state in the number of hours and the frequency at which these marks must be met—click here for more details—and it’s up to PTs and OTs to follow the appropriate rules and regulations to maintain their license in each state.

Regardless of the specific requirements, many PTs and OTs feel that it can be difficult to find the time in their busy schedules to fulfill this important responsibility.

Online CME can save professionals time and money

With the goal of simplifying the process for these physical rehabilitation professionals, online continuing medical education (AKA CME) has been emerging as a popular alternative to traditional CME. The traditional CME model requires a fixed time and place and is usually carried out at seminars, workshops, symposiums, and/or conferences. PTs and OTs must therefore travel to a set destination, participate in face-to-face sessions with speakers and presenters over several days, and miss out on treating patients while they are gone. This entire commitment is often both expensive and time-consuming, which can add up if it must be done several times a year.

Online Physical Therapy Continuing Education Expands the Reach of Traditional CME to Remote Audiences

Online physical therapy education, on the other hand, allows for the remote delivery of content without any geographical limitation by using learning management systems. As a result, online CME expands the reach of traditional CME to remote audiences and gives participants more freedom to take courses at times that fit their schedule, without the need for travel. Online CME can be delivered either in real-time with a live presenter or through pre recorded content that participants can access at their convenience. This model allows PTs and OTs to learn at their own pace and have more time for critical reflection while also saving them significant amounts of time and money in the process.

One criticism of online CME is that since courses are taken remotely, there may not be as many opportunities for engagement between those involved. However, online CME that uses teleconferencing addresses this concern by permitting live, real-time interactions between the speaker and participants in various locations through audio and/or video, which simulates a physical presentation or symposium.

ACE offers online CME courses for PTs and OTs

Online CME is gaining popularity and could eventually replace traditional CME as the primary method for fulfilling CME requirements. If you have physical therapy continuing education requirements to meet and are interested in doing so in an online format, Applied Continuing Education (ACE) may be the solution you’re seeking.

We currently offer two courses designed specifically for PTs and OTs: “Weight Management for Rehab Patients: Crucial Skills for PTs and OTs to Help Patients with Weight Management” and “Shoulder Pain and Dysfunction: Effective Therapy for the Treatment of Common Shoulder Disorders.”

Both courses are live online webinars that count for 6 continuing education units each. For more information, explore the ACE website or contact us at 781-229-8011 or info@physicaltherapyceus.com.

This is David Straight, PT and co-owner of E-rehab.com. We spent some time with one of the managing partners of Applied Continuing Education (ACE) to learn more about his unique story and why he started ACE.

Below you will find an edited transcription of our interview.

Mike, thanks for joining me today and taking the time to share more about your new continuing education company.

First, a little background: How long have you been a PT, a private practice owner of Orthopaedics Plus, and can you let us know about your wellness/fitness side of your education?

I’ve been a physical therapist since 2000. I suffered a lot of injuries in high school playing sports and had a need for physical therapy on a regular basis. I knew that I loved being an athlete and healthy and fit and it would kill me not to do all I could to maintain my health and ability to compete.

My PT helped me recover and be stronger over and over again. As a patient I became very interested in learning about the body, how to rehabilitate it, and how to teach. My personal experiences inspired me to become a fitness professional as well as earn my doctoral degree in physical therapy.

Through my interactions with fitness clients and patients, I quickly realized that good communication skills are critical when it comes to caring for the human body.

I recognized this early on and developed a real interest in optimizing communication – in both my fitness center and later in my career when providing physical therapy care to my patients.

As a clinician, if I want to help patients to the best of my ability, I have to be able to communicate how I can help them recover their function, how to motivate them to transition to fitness, and how to accomplish their goals.

Of course, as a physical therapist, manual therapy skills are super important. That’s why my PT clinic business partner, Justin Pezick and I both did two-year fellowships at the Institute of Orthopedic Manual Therapy (Boston University).

But, there’s only so much you can do with manual therapy. It’s important to communicate what, why, and how you are going to apply manual therapy. Bigger picture, you have to gain trust with your patients and that’s about communication, not manual therapy.

Why did you put together a shoulder con-Ed course?

Since 2011, when I was teaching courses about therapeutic exercise for older adults, my clients were frantically taking notes.
I asked myself, why were these clients so voraciously consuming the information I was sharing?

It didn’t take to long for me to realize that the public and the patients we care for at both the fitness center and the PT clinic, are confused about how to recover from injury and dysfunction.

The medical industrial complex often speaks of doom and gloom when it comes to recovering from conditions like a rotator cuff tear.

You Mentioned that You had Some Personal Experiences that Helped Clarify the Need for Better Communication.  Can You Expand on That?

Yes, I wasn’t given a lot of options (other than surgery) when I personally hurt my lower back and shoulder.

When I was 22, I worked at an orthopedic surgery clinic. I had a massive rotator cuff tear and conservative options like physical therapy weren’t really discussed. I had access to great surgeons and all they wanted to do was repair my problem. For nine months I studied alternative options to surgery and when I returned home, I started the process of rehabilitating my shoulder without having surgery. The good news is that I recovered, started playing baseball, got involved in heavy weight training, and never had the surgery.

I can say with certainty that surgery isn’t the only option for a rotator cuff tear…and today, more and more clinical research is arriving at the same conclusions. Reference

Between my personal experience and my deep dive into the clinical research about shoulder problems, I was compelled to develop an educational program for physical therapists that would teach and help them to share information about both conservative and aggressive treatment options for shoulder problems.

I found this to be my calling – physical therapists need to learn how to communicate as well as put their hands on their patients.

So, that’s my story and why I’ve developed continuing education for the shoulder and PT CEU courses for weight loss as well.

Physical Therapy is as Much About Communication as Hands-On Techniques

Physical therapist continuing education is often about manual techniques, but we clinicians need to learn how to gain trust or build that “therapeutic alliance” with our patients.  That’s what I help my students accomplish.

I’d like to invite my physical therapist colleagues to learn more about our approach to the physical therapy communication side of treatment.

Our students have said it is some of the best education they’ve ever taken, and it is a perfect additional to where physical therapy school left off.

Better yet, it is a physical therapy online continuing education program, so the students don’t ever have to travel – another added bonus.

Online continuing medical education (CME), also known as online physical therapy con ed, is a relatively new and convenient platform that allows physical therapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) to fulfill their CME requirements on their schedule and from any location with an internet connection. Applied Continuing Education (ACE) is at the forefront of an ongoing shift from traditional CME to online CME by offering two live online webinars designed specifically for PTs and OTs who are looking to learn from experts in the field efficiently and at their convenience.

However, since online CME is still gaining traction, many rehabilitation professionals may be uncertain if it’s right for them to transition to this format from the traditional CME model. Therefore, below we answer some of your frequently asked questions about online CME that should address these concerns and highlight the value of learning in this manner.

Q: What are some of the key differences between traditional CME and online CME?

Answers:

The biggest difference between the two learning platforms is that traditional CME courses must be taken at a set time and in a fixed location, while online CME courses are available with more flexible scheduling and can be taken practically anywhere.

Online CME offers a wider reach compared to the limited access of traditional CME, and it also typically costs significantly less since travel is not required to attend courses

Although traditional CME may provide for more opportunities to interact with the speaker and other participants, many online CME courses use teleconferencing, which allows for live engagement between all parties involved

Question: What are some of the advantages of online CME over traditional CME?

Answers:

• More flexibility and convenience for taking courses
• Lower costs
• A wider range of options for available courses
• Assessments that help users demonstrate their knowledge
• Allows users to track their progress more easily
• Some courses provide access to more in-depth materials to ensure a deeper understanding of the topic

Question: What online physical therapy con ed courses does ACE offer?

Answers:

We currently offer two courses: “Weight Management for Rehab Patients: Crucial Skills for PTs and OTs to Help Patients with Weight Management” and “Shoulder Pain and Dysfunction: Effective Therapy for the Treatment of Common Shoulder Disorders.” Both courses are live online webinars that count for 6 continuing education units each.

Question: Why is it important for PTs and OTs to learn about how to discuss weight management with their patients?

Answers:

Patient education is at the core of the physical therapy practice, and understanding how—and when—to discuss weight management with patients is a shortcoming for many PTs, as demonstrated in a recently published study. Reference

Since some overweight patients may be limited in how much they’re able to improve if they don’t also take steps to lose weight, PTs and OTs have a prime opportunity to offer effective strategies to help them get there.

Question: What can PTs/OTs do to help patients with weight management?

Answer:

They can provide education about the importance of weight management, assess patients’ current weight and BMI, and offer “general” guidance on how to make healthier dietary choices and exercise regularly.

Question: Why should PTs take a CME course on shoulder dysfunction?

Answer:

Shoulder pain is the second most common reason that patients come in for physical therapy, and it’s therefore essential that PTs stay up to date on the latest techniques and research so they can treat shoulder pain as effectively as possible.  Click here to learn more about our online shoulder continuing education course, that focuses on the importance of great, evidence-based communication with your patients.

For more information about our online physical therapy con ed, contact ACE by calling (781) 229-8011 or emailing us at info@physicaltherapyceus.com .

Introduction:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one-third (36.5%) of U.S. adults are obese. This makes obesity one of the leading causes of preventable death in the country.

As physical therapists, we are on the frontlines of helping people with a variety of health conditions. We are in a unique position to help our patients with weight management, but many of us are not sure where to start.

In this post, we will discuss the scope of the problem and why rehab professionals should be concerned about helping their patients with weight management. We will also explore the role of rehab professionals in weight management and offer tips for getting started.

The scope of the problem: incidence of obesity

Obesity is a public health crisis in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one-third (36.5%) of adults and nearly one in five (19%) children and adolescents are obese. The numbers are even more staggering when you look at race and ethnicity: More than half of black (56.8%) and Mexican-American (51.3%) adults are obese, compared to 34.9% of white adults.

What’s even more alarming is that obesity is associated with a number of chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer. These diseases account for a significant percentage of healthcare costs in the United States.

Why rehab professionals should be concerned about helping their patients with weight management

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese. That’s nearly 78 million people! The CDC also reports that obesity accounts for $147 billion in healthcare costs each year.

These numbers are staggering, and they should serve as a wake-up call for rehab professionals. If we don’t help our patients with weight management, we’re only going to see these numbers get worse. Weight management is a huge part of rehab, and we need to be doing everything we can to help our patients achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Is their weight our business? The role of rehab professionals in weight management

The role of rehab professionals in weight management is twofold: to help patients manage their weight and to educate patients about the importance of weight management.

Despite the obvious health risks associated with obesity, many people do not take the problem seriously. They may not be aware of how serious it is or they may not think that they can do anything about it. Physical therapists can play an important role in educating their patients about the risks of obesity and helping them to develop healthy habits that will help them manage their weight.

What physical therapists can do to help their patients with weight management

There are a few different things physical therapists can do to help their patients with weight management.

The first is to provide education about the importance of weight management and the effects that obesity can have on overall health. Physical therapists can also assess their patients’ current weight and BMI, and provide guidance on how to make healthier food choices and exercise regularly.

Physical therapists can also play a role in helping their patients to set realistic goals and develop a plan of action to achieve those goals. If needed, physical therapists can also refer patients to a nutritionist or dietitian for additional help.

**NOTE: check your state physical therapy practice guidelines. While you may be able to educate your patient about obesity and how you can help, your practice act may have restrictions on the scope of your practice for obesity/weight management.**

Weight management resources for physical therapists

There are many resources available to physical therapists to help them better manage their patients’ weight. The American Physical Therapy Association has a task force on obesity that provides information and resources regarding assessment, treatment, and prevention of obesity.

The National Institutes of Health also provides resources for health professionals on its website. The website includes an overview of obesity and its health effects, treatment options, prevention strategies, and more.

Rehab professionals should also be familiar with the Get Healthy U guidelines for weight management. The guidelines provide evidence-based information on weight management for healthcare professionals.

These resources aren’t enough – that’s why we created a physical therapy con-ed course about this topic!  Click here to review it.

Case study: a physical therapist who could only help their patient so much…

Imagine this scenario: You’re a physical therapist who’s been working with patients for months, helping them to recover from an injuries. You find that you can help patients but their weight puts so much biomechanical stress on their joints and muscles that you can only help so much.

What do you do?

This is a question that physical therapists need to be asking themselves, because obesity is a growing problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1/3 of American adults are obese, and that number is only going up.

If you’re not sure how to help your patients with weight management, don’t worry – you’re not alone. But it’s important that physical therapists become more aware of this issue, and learn how to help their patients manage their weight.

It’s for these specific reasons that ACE has put together a course called, “Weight Management for Rehab Patients: Crucial Skills for PTs and OTs to Help Patients with Weight Management“.

This is a topic that isn’t taught enough in PT school, is ever changing, and we here at ACE, feel should be part of all PT & OT training.

Conclusion – how you communicate about weight management is critical

Physical therapists and occupational therapists should be aware of the importance of how to communicate to their patients about weight management. Obesity is a major health problem in the United States, and it can prevent muscle and joint problems from healing and can lead to a variety of health problems.

Rehab professionals can play a role in helping their patients with weight management. They can provide education and advice on how to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight…but they need to know how to communicate with their patients about this.

For More Information You Can Call Us (781) 229-8011 or Click Here to Visit Our Contact Page

Physical therapists in every state have physical therapy continuing education requirements.
State boards define the continuing education requirements or CEUs (continuing education unit) requirements.

A unit is often defined by a number of ours. For example one PT CEU might be equal to 10 or 20 hours of educations (called contact hours), over the course of 12 months.

In just about every state, there is a deadline by which the con ed units or contact hours must be completed.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of con-ed requirements by state.

Alabama: ten physical therapy hours of education per year.
Alaska: this state requires therapists to complete 24 hours per year.
Arizona: Twenty education hours every two years is required in Arizona.
Arkansas: Also, twenty continuing education hours that should be reported every 2 years.
California: unlike some states, California requires thirty hours of con ed every two years.
Colorado: similar to California, 30 hours of learning must be reported every other year.
Connecticut: a bit of a higher standard here, 20 con-ed hours per year.
Delaware: like California and Colorado, 30 hours of education reported every other year.
Florida: a slightly different number is required by the state – 24 hours
Georgia: 30 hours of education every 2 years.
Hawaii: Same as Georgia 30 hours every 24 months.
Idaho: 16 per year or 32, every two years.
Illinois: coming in with more than most, 40 con-ed hours every 2 years.
Indiana: 11 per year, reported every two years or, 22 hours of continuing education every 2 yrs.
Iowa: forty hours of con-ed required by physical therapists every 2 years.
Kansas: The same as Kansas 40 hours every two years needs to be reported to the board.
Kentucky: Somewhere in the middle of all state requirements – 30 per year.
Louisiana: 30 contact hours as well.
Maine: One of the few states with no physical therapy continuing education requirements.
Maryland: The state requires 30 hrs per year and when they’re due is based on license number
Massachusetts: Like Maine, no con-ed requirements needed by PTs here.
Michigan: here there is a requirement of 24 hours
Minnesota: just 10 per year that need to be reported every 2 years (i.e. 20 every 2 years).
Mississippi: contact hours required – thirty hours by this state reported to the board every 2 yrs
Missouri: contact hours need here are 30 every two years
Montana: 30 every two years
Nebraska: just 20 contact hours needed by physical therapists in Nebraska.
Nevada: 15 PT contact hours (which equates to 1.5 CEUSs) each year.
New Hampshire: Like a number of others, 24 contact hours every 2 years.
New Jersey: the state here requires 30 hours every 24 months.
New Mexico: the PT Board regulation is 30 hours reported every 2 years.
New York: thirty-six hours, a rather odd number, must be reported every 2 years.
North Carolina: 30 contact hours is needed in North Carolina
North Dakota: 12.5 contact hours per year for a total of 25 every two years.
Ohio: twenty-four hours are required every two years
Oklahoma: a high standard of 40 hours is required in Oklahoma
Oregon: 24 contact hours need to be reported to the state board every 2 years.
Pennsylvania: 30 hours (10 about direct access) are needed in PA.
Rhode Island: 24 hours of educational contact hours reported every 2 years.
South Carolina: like others, 30 contact hours every two years.
South Dakota: measured each year, fifteen hours are needed in South Dakota.
Tennessee: thirty contact hours are required in the state of Tennessee.
Texas: like Tennessee, thirty hours need to be reported to the state every 2 years.
Utah: forty physical therapy continuing education hours are required every two years.
Vermont: just 12 per year here, making it 24 needed to be reported to the board every 2 years
Virginia: thirty physical therapist continuing education hours (typically 3 units), every two years.
Washington: on the high end, 40 hours of physical therapist continuing education every 2 years.
West Virginia: 24 CEUs are required every two years in the state of West Virginia.
Wisconsin: here the PT board requires 30 contact hours every two years.
Wyoming: same as Wisconsin – 30 hours of continuing education needed every two years.

We Repeat This Because It’s Important

It’s important to check with your state physical therapy board to learn more about the number of hours/ceu’s, specific date they are due, and how and where the physical therapy CEUs need to be reported.

Looking for Physical Therapy Con-Ed that Not Only Fulfills Requirements but Improves Your Skills?

Check Out Our Continuing Education Experiences – Click Here

If you are looking for an exceptional physical therapy continuing education experience, one that will shape the way you approach patient care in the future, contact us today for more information about ACE’s continuing education programs.

You Can Call Us (781) 229-8011