Archive for October, 2011
October 31, 2011
Introducing Our Women’s Health Professional: Katherine Prevost
Katherine Prevost originally from Rayne, Louisiana received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Kinesiology from University of Louisiana Lafayette and attended LSU-HSC in Shreveport for her Doctorate of Physical Therapy.
Katherine recently joined the Therapy Center team in 2011 as a PT in our Jennings outpatient clinic. She also works in the inpatient rehab and home health settings in Jennings. Katherine has a passion for women’s health and is excited for the opportunity to be able to pursue that through the Therapy Center.
When asked what the most rewarding part of her job is, she says, “It’s when my patients tell me that I have helped them overcome something in their life or helped them with something that they thought was impossible. It is the most rewarding feeling to know that you had an impact in someone’s life.”
Katherine chose this career after she had to get physical therapy herself. “I was hurt when I was in high school and had to go to a physical therapist. I loved my therapist, all the staff, and the atmosphere of the clinic. I felt that this would be the perfect job for me because I love being around people and making a positive impact in people’s lives,” says Katherine.
Favorite part of working at Therapy Center? The staff. Everyone is so supportive and willing to help me accomplish my goal of pursuing a Women’s Health specialization.
Hobbies/other areas of interest: I love sports, working out, and the outdoors, but I also love to go shopping and spend money every now and then.
Do you need help with what questions to ask your doctor? Do you want to know if physical therapy can help you? Katherine is available Monday – Thursday from 8-5 and Friday 7-12 at Therapy Center Clinic in Jennings, 337-824-4547. A referral from your physician is needed for these services.
October 26, 2011
Introducing Our Women’s Health Professional: Alayna Brewer
Alayna Brewer, originally from Plaquemine, Louisiana received her Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana College and went on to pursue a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine in Florida.
Alayna began working for Therapy Center in 2010 and currently works as a clinician in Therapy Center’s partner skilled nursing facilities in Avoyelles Parish. She is also our women’s health professional at Lemoine Therapy Services in Marksville, one of Therapy Center’s outpatient clinics.
Why did you choose the field you work in? I have always wanted to be involved in patient care and the healing process. I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. I enjoy interacting with people on a daily basis. I chose the field of women’s health because there is such a need for therapists in this area. It is a specialized area that is very challenging. Each patient is different and requires one-on-one care. These patients are looking for help and are very grateful to find therapists who are knowledgeable in their condition as well as compassionate.
What is the most rewarding part of your job? Seeing patient’s to the end of their treatment program and knowing that I made a difference even in the smallest way. It’s very rewarding to know that I was able to help improve the patient’s condition and restore their function. The most rewarding part of all is watching a patient achieve a personal goal or do something they didn’t think was possible. For my women’s health patients, the best part is restoring their independence and decreasing symptoms of their condition that are limiting daily activity.
Favorite part of working at Therapy Center? One of my favorite parts of TTC is the camaraderie that is formed with my co-workers especially, as well as the mentors and owners. The owners have gone above and beyond in my opinion to keep employees happy despite necessary changes in Medicare reimbursements and increased scrutiny of documentation. They are willing to listen to our individual ideas and concerns and I always feel like my voice is heard.
Hobbies/other areas of interest: Reading my e-reader (I love that thing), taking my daughter swimming, horseback riding, SHOPPING (especially for shoes), photography (but I’m not very good at it yet), watching movies with my daughter and husband, I like killing time in Baton Rouge and trying new restaurants.
Anything interesting about yourself that you want others to know: I love the people that I work with! While in college, I worked at Blue Bayou as a Lifeguard, Supervisor, and Instructor, we have a total of 8 dogs and 2 cats at home, I love QVC! I’m a part of a Krewe in Alexandria and I have a blast with those women, I am not much of a runner but I hope complete a 5K soon (like complete it and not pass out)!
Do you need help with what questions to ask your doctor? Do you want to know if physical therapy can help you? Alayna is available Monday – Thursday from 8-5, and Friday from 8:00am – Noon at Lemoine Therapy Services in Marksville, 318-240-7680. A referral from your physician is needed for these services.
October 24, 2011
What is Women’s Health Physical Therapy?
Oprah.com recently focused on a topic that is rarely discussed…”Physical Therapy for the Lady Parts” ! In conjunction with our October celebration of PT month, we want to explore the profession of women’s health physical therapy and introduce two of our very own practitioners whose passion is helping women of all ages who might suffer from conditions that affect their daily living. Future blog articles will also address who is appropriate for treatment and what conditions can be treated using women’s health PT.
Origin of Women’s Health Physical Therapy (WHPT)
According to the APTA, “the Section on Women’s Health of the American Physical Therapy Association was formed in 1977 by Elizabeth Noble. Originally called the Section on Obstetrics and Gynecology, it was founded to serve as a resource for physical therapists interested in the healthcare of women before, during, and after pregnancy.” The popularity of Women’s Health specialty grew in 1995, when a group of orthopedic physical therapists recognized that their clinics were filling up with women whose concerns weren’t being addressed. Most women think that when they have problems like pelvic pain or incontinence that the only person who can help is their doctor. In many occasions, practitioners of women’s health physical therapy are called in to problem solve for women (and some men) who have problems with sexual intercourse, urination, fertility, pregnancy preparedness, postpartum recovery and cancer recovery.
Why is Women’s Health Rarely Talked About?
Information on this topic is not easily found so it’s no wonder why many individuals have never heard of it. “Women’s Health PT is not well publicized in the U.S. and many women are not familiar with what WHPTs can do to help them. Many issues that women face are delicate topics and not many people like to discuss their incontinence or sexual dysfunction problems with just anyone,” explains Alayna Brewer, WH PT for Therapy Center.
Fortunately though, Women’s Health PT is a growing practice. According to the APTA, many physical therapists have specialized training that can benefit women with a variety of medical conditions. Today’s emphasis on fitness and wellness has brought to women’s attention a need to pay closer attention to their bodies during recreation, work, and throughout life.
Physical Therapy is a less invasive solution
In talking with two of Therapy Center’s very own Women’s Health PTs, its remarkable the passion that both Alayana Brewer and Katherine Prevost have for this field of work. Both agree that physicians and physical therapists can work together to provide the best solution for the patient.
Many people assume surgery is the only fix for their problem. The fact is that surgery isn’t the only solution! “Our goal as WHPTs is to treat these individuals before going under the knife. Much research has been done in the past 10 years in regards to women’s health PT and how it may be beneficial to our patient population,” Brewer says.
Doctors and Physical Therapists are trained differently in how they treat pelvic floor issues.”I also think it’s very important to have a close relationship with physicians during the course of treatment. Physical therapists evaluate the pelvic floor for mechanical or muscular issues that may be causing pain or dysfunction, but it’s important to also have patients see a physician first to rule out any alternative disease process that may be contributing to the pain,” explains Katherine Prevost, WHPT.
Physical Therapists are trained muscle specialists who know how to strengthen, stretch, and relax muscles in way that the physician may not. PT’s can teach patient’s techniques, exercises and stretches that will allow for the relief of symptoms without relying on drugs, which may have negative side effects. Therapy can also help a client become more independent while teaching them to manage their condition and symptoms on their own.
To schedule an appointment or for more information, please contact one of the following women’s health professionals located at Therapy Center’s outpatient clinics: (Physician referrals are needed for these services)
Therapy Center-Jennings, LA: Katherine Prevost, 337-824-4547
Lemoine Therapy Services-Marksville, LA: Alayna Brewer, 318-240-7680
October 20, 2011
Everyone Has a Dream: Man in Black is Back
Roy Doiron, of Jeanerette, was first treated by Therapy Center therapists at Maison Teche Nursing Center. He was able to return home, following rehabilitation, and achieved a personal goal on September 23rd, when he auditioned for Rox Star at Cypress Bayou Casino. The Man in Black serenaded the audience with an acapella version of Jambalaya. Roy will perform again on November 18th, as his performance qualified him for semi-finals. The Therapy Center congratulates you Roy Doiron! We are proud to see you benefit from all of your hard work! See Mr. Doiron’s performance below.
Story submitted by Danielle Keyser, OT/Mentor, and is pictured left with Mr. Doiron. Danielle accompanied Mr. Doiron to the competition and was part of making his dream a reality. Also pictured left is Mr. Doiron with his supporters and fans!
October 17, 2011
PT Spotlight: Jeff Person
In celebration of Physical Therapy Month in October, we would like to spotlight some of our very own PT’s.
Jeff Person is from Jennings, Louisiana, where the Therapy Center was born! He graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and then pursued his career as a physical therapist at Texas Women’s University. Jeff joined Therapy Center’s team in 2002 and works in our outpatient clinic in Jennings as a clinician.
Jeff is a certified clinical instructor through the APTA and has taken many PT students under his wing. He likes to share the passion that he has for his profession with PT interns and says that his career as a physical therapist “is a perfect fit”.
When asked what his favorite part of working at Therapy Center is, Jeff said, “I have an incredible team who I am able to work with and continue to grow and learn with. I feel every day we grow as a team and become a stronger clinic. I also really enjoy the fun we are able to have working together.”
What is the most rewarding part of Jeff’s job? Patient satisfaction. He also enjoys gaining knowledge in his profession, whether its through continuing education seminars, learning from others, or sometimes just figuring something out for himself.
Hobbies/other areas of interest: My family comes first! I am a huge Ragin’ Cajun sports fan and just a sports fan in general. I enjoy golf and any social activity or gatherings.
Anything interesting about yourself that you want others to know: I think it is funny that people assume since I am a sports fan that I am a LSU fan. Couldn’t be further from the truth. No way, no how. I bleed red. Geaux Cajuns! I am also nearing completion of my Manual Therapy Certification.
October 14, 2011
Therapy Center Employee Drawing: Linda Roy Wins!
A huge congratulations goes out to Ms. Linda Roy, speech therapist at Hessmer Nursing Home! We want to recognize Linda for being part of a great team and for going above and beyond for her patients and for Therapy Center!
Watch the drawing here!!
October 13, 2011
Therapy Center Employee Drawing: John Romero Wins!
Kudos to John Romero, therapy tech at Tri Community, who won our employee drawing today! We also want to recognize John for being part of a great team and for going above and beyond for his co-workers and patients!
Watch the drawing here!
Legislative Action Alert: Therapy Cap
Posted by APTA, October 4, 2011: Click here for full PDF version.
Only 88 days remain for Congress to take action on the therapy cap and Medicare payment cuts. It is critical that Congress pass legislation before December 31, 2011 to extend the therapy cap exceptions process and to avoid the scheduled 29.5% cut in provider payments under the Medicare physician fee schedule.
This year, the opportunity to have this devastating payment cut and expiring therapy cap exceptions process resolved will require targeted messaging to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, also known as the Supercommittee, is a joint select committee of the US Congress, created by the Budget Control Act of 2011 on August 2, 2011. The 12-member panel, divided evenly among Democrats and Republicans, has until November 23, 2011 to propose at least $1.2 trillion in 10-year budget savings. If it does not propose a package or if Congress doesn’t approve it, $1.2 trillion in automatic budget cuts will be triggered. The Medicare payment cut and the extension of the therapy cap exceptions process will need to be taken care of within the Supercommittee’s package. While APTA is working tirelessly with congressional offices on the hill to protect the profession and our patients from these impending budget cuts, we need your help.
In conjunction with the efforts driven by APTA’s lobby team, APTA Vice President of Government and Payment advocacy Justin Moore, PT, DPT was invited to testify before the United States House of Representatives on Ways and Means Health Subcommittee on the detrimental effect the therapy cap can have on Medicare beneficiaries. In his testimony Dr. Moore provided background on the therapy caps and described the types of patients who are most affected by the caps. Dr. Moore also highlighted several cost saving proposals to address the therapy cap and payment reform under Medicare Part B. Subcommittee ranking member Fortney Pete Stark (D-CA) said some of the provisions, such as the therapy cap exceptions process, “ensure critical access to needy Medicare beneficiaries.”
Help us reinforce our message by contacting your legislator today.
Message:
• Ask your member of Congress to sign onto the Dear Colleague letter initiated by Representative Allyson Schwartz which urges the Supercommittee to include the SGR fix in the Supercommittee’s proposal.
• Request that your Congressman sign onto the Therapy Cap Repeal legislation (H.R. 1546) and support addressing the therapy cap as part of the Supercommittee package.
What You Can Do
• Send an email to your Members of Congress TODAY. For sample letters and easy access to contacting your Members of Congress by electronic means or download and print letters, utilize APTA’s Legislative Action Center.
• Request your patients to contact Congress on this issue through APTA’s Patient Action Center. This site is designed to educate patients on the issue and to provide easy access to form emails and letters for them to contact Congress.
Keep Your Colleagues Informed – Request that your colleagues take action through APTA’s Legislative Action Center and sign up for APTA’s Grassroots Network, PTeam. PTeam will be the main source of information for legislative updates and breaking news on the effort to pass legislation to extend the therapy cap exceptions process and avoid the 29.5% cut.
Thanks for your help in getting the message through to Congress!
October 11, 2011
Life is Always Worth Living
Article was written by Gisele Menard, PTA for Therapy Center. (Gisele is pictured left with Mary Thibodeaux)
Mary Thibodeaux has been my home health patient off and on for over three years. Because her age is a factor, Mary is not eligible for joint replacement and she needs assistance from physical therapy. As part of her home exercise program, Mary has learned to stretch her hamstrings daily for relief from pain. At first, she could only reach halfway between her knees and ankles, but now Mary can reach her toes on both sides!
At age 100, she is so proud of her accomplishments and the relief from chronic pain she receives from stretching.
I had the pleasure of celebrating Mary’s 100th birthday with her on April 13, 2011 in Egan. What a precious lady! My co-worker, Amy Deloach (PT), and I feel so honored to serve this wonderful woman who inspires us in so many ways. Most of all, Mary’s tremendous faith that life, even in the midst of pain, is always worth living.
October 7, 2011
The New COT OMRA: How Will Your Facility Manage?
This article was written by Harmony Healthcare in the October 5th Newsletter Issue:
Effective October 1st, a COT OMRA will be required for patients classified into a RUG-IV therapy category whenever the intensity of therapy changes to such a degree it no longer reflects the RUG-IV classification and payment assigned based on the most recent assessment used for Medicare payment. CMS stresses that SNFs would be required to complete a COT OMRA only if the intensity of therapy changes to such an extent that the patient’s RUG classification, based on their last PPS assessment, is no longer an accurate representation of the patient’s current clinical condition. This change in the therapy intensity may be due to scheduled changes or unscheduled changes. The COT is indicated when the different RUG category is higher or lower than the RUG category in which the resident is currently placed.
If a therapy discipline is discontinued and this results in a patient no longer meeting the required number of therapy disciplines for the patient’s current RUG category then a COT OMRA would be required. In addition, if a patient fails to receive the requisite number of days of therapy required for classification into the RUG category, then a COT OMRA would be required to change the patient’s RUG category as appropriate.
The ARD for the COT OMRA would be set for day 7 of a COT observation period. Beginning on the day following the ARD set for the most recent scheduled or unscheduled PPS assessment (or the day therapy resumes in cases where an EOT-R OMRA is completed) there will be a rolling 7-day look-back. For example, if the facility uses PPS day 13 as the ARD for the 14 day assessment, the end of the rolling 7-day look-back period will be PPS day 20. If on PPS day 20 the minutes are no longer an accurate representation of the previous RUG score, a COT OMRA will be required.
Payment begins the day after the ARD, the beginning of the COT look back period and remains in effect until the end of the payment window for the previous assessment or until a new unscheduled assessment (an OMRA, SCSA, or SCPA) is completed.
Example:
The 14 day PPS assessment ARD was 10/8 day 13, with a RUG category of RU (720 minutes) representing the payment category. The start of the COT observation period begins the day after the ARD of the 14 day PPS assessment (COT day 1= PPS day 14, 10/9/11) and continues to COT day 7 (10/15/11), which is PPS day 20.
The patient may achieve the represented RUG at any time during the look back period (think of it as the same look back period when completing a PPS assessment). However, the minutes and days may only be looked back upon during that seven day COT look back period. If a COT is not completed, the next COT observation period will begin the day following day 7 of the previous COT period. Harmony stresses that it is imperative to monitor the therapy disciplines, days and minutes that are captured within each 7 day look back period for determining if a COT is required.
October 5, 2011
Every Person Has a Story
For most of us, it’s safe to say that we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of our day and our brief interaction with others doesn’t allow us to get to know their story. How many people do we come in contact with on a daily basis that are going through a rough time? How about those who are most excited about a new life event? We never know the impact that a simple “hello” or even a compliment can have on a stranger!
Some of us have a daily reminder of the importance of these stories. For example, when visiting our partner skilled nursing facilities, I have noticed the relationships that our therapists build with the patients they are treating. They see and understand who these patients were before they were admitted into the nursing home…No matter if these patients are there for a short stay solely to receive therapy, or if they have chosen to make the nursing home their permanent residence, our therapists recognize that the dignity and independence these individuals have enjoyed most of their lives should be restored and appreciated so their stories can continue on.
The video below can serve as a reminder that no matter how busy we get or sometimes how frustrated we may become with others, we have the opportunity to positively impact their lives.
October 3, 2011
Therapy Tech Spotlight: Monique Lawless
Join us as we highlight our longest-tenured therapy techs during therapy tech month:
Monique Lawless, originally from Welsh, LA began working with Therapy Center in 2003 as a massage therapist and therapy tech. Monique attended Welsh High School and the Louisiana Institute of Massage Therapy. She chose this field of work because she truly enjoys helping patients feel better by reducing their pain. Monique says that the patients she has worked with are very grateful and express to her how much she has made them feel better, which is the most rewarding part of her job! Her favorite part about working for the Therapy Center is “that we are one big, happy family!”
All of Monique’s co-workers agree that she has been a great team player and always has a smile on her face! Her positive attitude is always recognized by those around her and Therapy Center is grateful to have her on our team!
