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American Physical Therapy Association: Advancing your Profession

Spring 2013

Working for You at APTA


APTA
Advocates Strengthens Educates Connects Advances

Strategic Planning
Developing Goals and Objectives to Advance the Profession
APTAs Strategic Plan was reviewed and updated during the July 2012 Board meeting identifying revised strategic priorities to inform 2013 work and budget
Goal 1: Effectiveness of care to improve quality of life

Goal 2: Patient- and client-centered care across the lifespan


Goal 3: Professional growth and development Goal 4: Value and accountability

Strategic Planning
Developing Goals and Objectives to Advance the Profession
Goal 1: Effectiveness of Care APTA will better enable physical therapists to consistently use best practice to improve the quality of life of their patients and clients.
Objective A: Increase the number of peer-reviewed clinical practice guidelines. Objective B: Increase practitioner use of and adherence to best practice guidelines to reduce unwarranted variation in care and enhance patient and client outcomes. Objective C: Develop and integrate available patient data registries, including quality measures. Objective D: Explore alternative and innovative models of care delivery. Objective E: Promote use of valid outcome measures

Strategic Planning
Developing Goals and Objectives to Advance the Profession
Goal 2: Patient- and Client-Centered Care Across the Lifespan APTA will be the recognized leader in supporting physical therapists in the delivery of patient- and client-centered care across the lifespan.
Objective A: Increase the prevalence of physical therapists providing prevention and wellness services Objective B: Promote implementation of innovative models of practice that target patient- and client-centered care Objective C: Develop mechanisms to identify, prioritize, and address existing and emerging population-based health needs that will impact physical therapy Objective D: Identify and address physical therapy supply and demand workforce needs

Strategic Planning
Developing Goals and Objectives to Advance the Profession
Goal 3: Professional Growth and Development APTA will empower physical therapists to demonstrate and promote high standards of professional and intellectual excellence.
Objective A: Model and promote key values and behaviors that embrace professionalism. Objective B: Explore and adopt innovative active learning opportunities that will enhance individual and collective abilities to provide optimal, collaborative patient- and client-centered care. Objective C: Investigate the appropriate educational program(s) for the PTA. Objective D: Demonstrate and promote interprofessional and intraprofessional collaboration.

Strategic Planning
Developing Goals and Objectives to Advance the Profession
Goal 4: Value and Accountability APTA will be the recognized leader in setting the standards for physical therapy service delivery and establishing and promoting the value of physical therapist practice to all stakeholders.
Objective A: Advocate for appropriate administrative, legislative, and regulatory policies that demonstrate value, ensure safe and effective delivery, enhance access, and protect the integrity of the health care system Objective B: Improve compliance with regulations, laws, and professional standards Objective C: Advance payment systems that recognize the severity of patient condition and the intensity of interventions required; reflect the clinical reasoning, judgment, and decision-making of the physical therapist; and appropriately pay for the value of the services Objective D: Define, advocate, and promote the role of the physical therapist in innovative and collaborative delivery models.

Payment and Practice Management


Ensuring Fairness for Physical Therapy
Launched a member education plan regarding Medicare payment reductions that went into effect April 1: Increase in the multiple procedure payment reduction (MPPR) Medicare spending cuts caused by sequestration

Payment and Practice Management


Ensuring Fairness for Physical Therapy
In addition, several other policies of importance to physical therapists went into effect January 1: Functional Limitation Reporting Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 freezes Medicare conversion factor The legislation also extends therapy cap exceptions process for one year

Payment and Practice Management


Ensuring Fairness for Physical Therapy
Developed a revised developmental draft of an alternative payment system for outpatient physical therapy services, now called the Physical Therapy Classification and Payment System (PTCPS), which will soon be made available to APTA members for review Presented PTCPS to multiple external and internal stakeholder groups including other health professional organizations Worked closely with MedPAC to ensure their report regarding outpatient therapy payment reforms reflects the value of physical therapy and sets forth appropriate policy recommendations

Payment and Practice Management


Ensuring Fairness for Physical Therapy
Held the second PT Business Forum March 7, to bring together PT business community to talk about issues facing physical therapy and rehabilitation. Worked to improve insurance policies through our Annual Insurance Forum for payers and case managers held September 2012 in Hartford CT. 73 insurance company representatives attended this annual event Advancing quality initiatives, including registry reporting and the use of appropriate quality measures in payment programs for PTs through federal policies and agencies Secured appointments of physical therapists to represent APTA on national quality panels Promoted new model benefit plan to advocate for coverage of physical therapist services

Payment and Practice Management


Ensuring Fairness for Physical Therapy
Regional payment pilot program currently underway in New England area. Its purpose is to : Set standards nationally through policy development and advocacy Build the infrastructure to implement regionally and locally, empowering Components and members through member education and outreach Improve economic opportunity for physical therapists based on best practices Enhance relationships with payers, legislators, and employers

Payment and Practice Management


Ensuring Fairness for Physical Therapy
Developed and adopted definition for medically necessary physical therapist services Developed resources to support the use of direct access in various practice settings Advocated for coverage of PTA delivered services by private payers and self insured employers Worked to improve PT awareness of and compliance with workers compensation regulations Courses on documentation, coding and compliance are available through live, audio and online opportunities on APTAs Learning Center

Government Affairs
The Professions Voice with Policymakers
Introduced legislation to permanently repeal the therapy cap Advocated for the inclusion of PTs in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) and Pioneer ACOs by meeting with physicians and ACO administrators Developed proposals for federal innovation center to study direct access

Developed legislation to allow direct access under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan
Introduced legislation March 20 to authorize physical therapists to participate in the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program

Protecting your scope of practice against threats to erode current state legislation that curbs referral for profit by physicians

Government Affairs
The Professions Voice with Policymakers
Approximately 275 attendees participated in APTAs Federal Advocacy Forum in Washington, DC, including 70 students FY 2014 budget recommends removing therapy from in-office ancillary services Simpson-Bowles report recommends narrowing IOAS exception Became an active participant in the White Houses Joining Forces Initiative and launched website providing member resources Provided testimony at congressional briefing focused on Medicare Extenders and sponsored congressional briefing highlighting the role of therapy in TBI treatment Hosted record State Policy and Payment Forum drawing more than 200 PTs, PTAs and students Students spearhead Flash Action Strategy on physical therapist workforce

Government Affairs
The Professions Voice with Policymakers
Supported direct access initiatives in Alabama, California, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan and Texas Indiana poised to become 50th state to pass legislation providing some form of direct access to PTs; Bill awaits signature by governor Kansas passes legislation to improve patient access to PTs on April 1

Collaborated with Arkansas and South Dakota chapters to enact fair co-pay legislation and supported other efforts in Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia Successfully supported the appointment of two physical therapists to the CDCs panel developing guidelines for youth concussions. Continuing to implement comprehensive strategy on health care reform, including member education initiatives, regulatory implementation plan, and advocating for needed policy changes

Clinical Practice
Advancing High Quality Patient Care
HOD passed position that affirms PTs are responsible and accountable for care Aimed at meeting the needs of patients and clients, and will help support physical therapists practicing under new health care delivery and payment systems In 2013, Models of Care Task Force will explore practice models that are responsive to the needs of society and adaptable to the changing health care environment Working with Sections to develop clinically useful evidence based documents, including clinical practice guidelines, to support clinical decision making and decrease unwarranted variations in care Collaborating with stakeholders to support physical therapist practice in a variety of settings Developing resources aimed at the physical therapists role in readmissions Joint collaborative underway with physical therapists representing health systems from a variety of patient care settings that are part of the same corporate structure .

Clinical Practice
Advancing High Quality Patient Care
Held first meeting of task force on the Role of Physical Therapists in Prevention, Wellness, Fitness, and Disease Management Developed online resources to address new technologies and advances in medical care Safe patient lifting, telemedicine, robotics, regenerative medicine Created resources aimed at integrating evidence-based practice in various clinical settings Information related to the use of outcome measures in patient care Online module Evidence-based Practice in the Real World available on APTAs Learning Center Successful models for implementing evidence in the clinic

Worked closely with member experts to develop elements of the annual physical therapist evaluation

Public Relations
Increasing Awareness of Physical Therapy
Consumer portal launched at moveforwardpt.com with traffic growing exponentially since last year Visits have increased 146% over past year Now averaging more than 40,000 visits per month Launched Fit After 50 public education campaign to teach baby boomers about importance of staying fit and preventing injury with help of a physical therapist Continued development of a national Media Corps of APTA spokespersons professionally trained to generate positive media coverage for the profession Continued success with national media coverage: CNN.com, Forbes.com, USA Today, Business Week, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and Good Morning America Launched Blog Talk Radio show aimed at consumer audiences that airs every two weeks

Communications
Providing Information and Resources to Members
Debuted PT in Motion Extra, a new interactive digital complement to the magazine, designed for computers, tablets, or smartphones PTNow moved out of beta in January at CSM PTJ named Top Core Journal PTJ becomes official journal of Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy Began livestreaming APTA BOD meetings to improve communication with members Continually expanding APTAs social media presence More than 17,000 followers on Twitter @APTAtweets More than 21,000 fans on Facebook at www.facebook.com/APTAfans

Education
Advancing Careers and Clinical Practice
More than 12,900 board-certified clinical specialists in 8 areas of practice, and 150 credentialed residency/fellowship programs

More than 39,800 credentialed clinical instructors, and over 1,300 advanced credentialed clinical instructors
Successfully managed a 17% increase in Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) applications September 2013 launch of new RF-PTCAS (residency and fellowship centralized application service) Minority Scholarship Fund at more than $450,000 180 Scholarships Awarded 21st Annual Diversity Fundraiser set for October 5, 2013, in Portland, Ore.

Education
Advancing Careers and Clinical Practice
Added acute care, aquatics, and oncology to the categories of Recognition of Advanced Proficiency for the PTA program Added a PTA Educators Resource web page containing peer-reviewed tools for teaching and program administration. PTA Educational Feasibility Study Work Group to investigate appropriate educational pathway for PTAs (RC 2012)

Professional Development
Expanding Knowledge with Continuing Education
Learn at your convenience. APTAs Learning Center offers 24/7 access to more than 400 learning opportunities for CEU credit

APTA membership provides free access to 14 courses for CEU credit Currently, courses related to Parkinsons disease, professionalism, and others are complimentary to members

Professional Development
Expanding Knowledge with Continuing Education
Unveiling virtual conferences in 2013 an innovative and accessible new direction for learning More than 150 onsite and 1,000 virtual attendees participated in APTAs first Innovation Summit March 8

APTA Virtual Conference will be held in conjunction with APTA Conference June 27-28

Professional Development
Identifying Physical Therapy CE Curriculum

Learning Task Force at work to identify learning domains for physical therapy continuing education
Collaboration with Sections to occur on the learning domains, subdomains, and competencies

Work occurring to upgrade the learning management system (software platform) used for APTA online learning

Research
Promoting Evidence to Enhance Practice
Developing a strategy for the enhancement of an Outcomes Registry for Physical Therapy Created Health Services Research Pipeline to produce health policy research in support of the profession Developed a model to predict supply and demand of physical therapists through 2020 APTA provided funding for Foundation for Physical Therapys referral for profit study

Your Association
Experiencing Unprecedented Success
APTA membership is at a historic high of more than 85,000 members! CSM 2013 in San Diego drew almost 9,500 attendees and 2,000 exhibitors Successful annual conference in Tampa, Florida at PT 2012 APTA Conference in Salt Lake City, June 24-26, 2013

Your Association
Preparing for a Successful Future
APTAs electronic Volunteer Interest Pool (VIP), launched in 2012, allows members to easily and efficiently create a volunteer profile to be considered for a variety of volunteer opportunities, including service on committees, task forces, and work groups Motions proposing changes to House of Delegates process and function have been submitted to the 2013 House of Delegates for consideration. Members and nonmembers were provided the opportunity this year to exchange thoughts on the 2013 House motions by commenting on individual motion-specific web pages and/or joining the discussion on Twitter using motion-specific hashtags

Thank You for Your Membership and Support


APTA is addressing the issues of concern to our profession today and developing strategies for the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow Take pride in being a part of the only professional association representing physical therapy As a member, you make our success possible! Members can take advantage of a variety of dues payment options: Easy Pay, Auto Renew, Career Starter Dues

www.apta.org

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