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Three Bipartisan Realities Of Consumer Access To Physical Therapy

Thursday, 22 August 2013 22:50

It's not just a Republican thing. And it's not just a Democrat thing.

When you get right down to it, consumer access to physical therapy could - and should - be an issue with bipartisan support nationwide. Both sides of the aisle should absolutely love it for very different reasons.

But it becomes readily apparent that they don't - at least not consistently from state to state. With a mid-term federal election cycle and plenty of state-wide elections soon to be upon us again, it would be helpful to understand why.

The Control That Matters In Health Care

Tuesday, 20 August 2013 23:03

In health care, there is much talk of control. One of the biggest issues is controlling the spiraling cost of care.

In the same breath, we have become transfixed by outcomes for any given episode of care. This is thought to help control costs – the costs that are faced right now, what I call the upstream costs.

But over the long-term, the control we need to discuss is locus of control. This is the control that will ultimately provide health care with true, epic reform.

Rhubarb Report 073

Friday, 16 August 2013 23:12

August is always a month of anniversaries and times of reflection. I am not quite sure why, but August seems to have accumulated a lot of life events, seemingly more so than any other month.

This year has been no different. It has been a nostalgic couple of weeks since my last installment of the Report. As a matter of fact, this week marks my 23rd anniversary of moving to Austin, inching me ever closer to having lived as many years here as I did in Canada. Just for the record, the day of the 50/50 split will be July 29, 2015, assuming that Austin is still home. I don't see that changing any time soon.

In this episode of the Rhubarb Report, I go back in the time machine for a few of those August moments in time. Gretzky, Erving, and Peralta - any of those names ring a bell?

Perpetuating The Myth Of Hands-On Care

Tuesday, 13 August 2013 22:43

It may have been one of the worst value propositions ever made. I know you've heard it before -

"Hands-on care is quality care".

I have heard it more than once, be it in a clinical environment, educational program, or on social media. What makes this scenario even worse is how the public has been snowed into believing it. Clinicians have, over time, skillfully trained the public to believe this. While doing so, clinicians continue to perpetuate a myth - that quality care is inherently related to the laying-on off hands.

Paternalism And The Demise Of Health Care

Thursday, 08 August 2013 22:11

Clinicians like to think they know what is best for the patient. And oftentimes, that is true. I mean, isn't that why patients come to see us?

But there is a fine, yet distinct, line between patient-centered care and paternalism. You know, the "father knows best" mentality that pervades our health care system right now. It might have been fine in the 1950's, but patients of the 2000's are becoming consumers when it comes to their health care. And rightfully so.

If we don't start paying attention, paternalism will be the demise of health care as we know it. And maybe that's a good thing.

Licensure, Clinical Competence, And The Role Of Physical Therapy Education

Tuesday, 06 August 2013 23:55

Physical therapist education is something that I have been involved with for many years. I have seen both sides of the coin - the didactic educational side, and the clinical instructional side. I have also experienced the process of accreditation, albeit with a physical therapist assistant program.

There is always talk of "preparing students to take the licensure exam". However, the sad reality is that accreditation and licensing exam standards don't always reflect the current status of research and/or clinical guidelines in the profession.

So here's the question: is the goal of physical therapy education to get graduates to pass an exam, or is it to train competent clinicians - or both?

Rhubarb Report 072

Thursday, 01 August 2013 22:44

It's amazing how connected we are these days. We update our friends online. We share our photos and videos online. We get our news online.

So imagine my disconnectedness after being in Denver for five days at a conference. It's not that the Internet doesn't exist in Colorado - it just exists in the hotel at about $12 per day. A little fiscal demand, combined with a busy schedule, countless face-to-face interactions, and some sleep wedged in there somewhere, and you are suddenly unplugged from the universe. Or so it seemed at times.

For 5 days, news from the outside world didn't really exist. It was, admittedly, quite nice.

But a few things did make it to my attention over the past couple of weeks. With that in mind, here is the next episode of the Rhubarb Report.

2013 McKenzie Institute Americas Conference: MDT For Peak Patient Outcomes

Tuesday, 30 July 2013 23:51

This past weekend, the city of Denver hosted the McKenzie Institute Americas Conference. I made the trek to Denver to take part in what was, according to my calculations, my 14th McKenzie conference. Where has all the time gone?

As has become the norm over all of those years, the conference was chock full of current research and insightful presentations. Add to that the thought-provoking and insightful discussions after hours with colleagues from around the world.

Sadly, the 2013 edition was the first conference since the passing of Robin McKenzie. Though the conference began with a moment of silence and tribute to Robin McKenzie, it ended with a powerful reminder that there are a dedicated group of clinicians poised to forge ahead with his legacy.