3 Ways to Enhance the Patient Experience

Happy patients make for a thriving practice. Are you overlooking these three core ways to keep your patients satisfied?

Therapists, by nature, are caring individuals, but in practice, sometimes caring about the patient experience can get a little lost in the day to day hustle. Here are three core ways you can enhance the patient experience to keep patients satisfied and your practice thriving.

Create an Inviting Environment

It has been proven, in some cases, the physical environment a patient is in can actually help them heal faster. Since healing is a main focus of physical therapy, creating a positive, welcoming environment is a good place to start, when enhancing the patient experience. Everything from the ambience of the waiting room to a friendly and well-informed front office staff should be taken into consideration.

While no patient likes to wait, it is often inevitable that they will have to, be it because they arrived early or you are running late. Make the wait more bearable by creating an inviting space. Everything from providing comfortable seating to making use of natural light can make a huge difference in terms of atmosphere. Stock the with toys and coloring books for children (whether or not you treat children) and set the mood with soothing music via Pandora or Spotify, if you’d like to forgo fitting the space with a television.

Staff your reception area with a friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable team, who will provide one-on-one, patient-focused customer service. Have them greet patients by name and with a smile, and make sure they are intimately familiar with office policies and procedures, so they can answer any questions your patients may have.

If you are running late, respect that your patient’s time is also valuable and have your front office staff let them know there is a delay. Having your front office staff offer an apology and give updates on how long they can expect to wait can go a long way in managing expectations, as well as easing any frustrations your patients may be.

Communication is Key

Communicating effectively will not only help to foster a strong provider-patient relationship and, in turn, may create better outcomes, but also lends itself well to a positive patient experience, all around.

From the very beginning, work to keep your patient in the know on everything from how to get to the office the very first time and where to park, to office policies and procedures, including paperwork and payments, right on through to their care plan, including the benefits of therapy, what is happening during their sessions, and what is expected of them, during and after each. While your schedule may be packed, and you may not have time to sit and chat with each patient for hours on end, make sure that they know they can ask questions, particularly about their care.

Having a therapist that is accessible and friendly can be an important factor for patient satisfaction, and a well-informed patient will very likely be a happier, more motivated and compliant one.

Ask for Feedback

No news isn’t always good news, no matter how the adage goes, and the things your patients aren’t telling you could be holding you back from reaching your patient satisfaction goals. So, in the spirit of communication being key, know that it has to work both ways.

Ask your patients to provide feedback in the form of patient satisfaction surveys, either digitally or on paper, as a part of their end-of-treatment process. This not only allows you to be aware of where you could be failing in providing the best care and experience, but tells you where you really shine.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Physical Therapy and the Gender Pay Gap

Though typically a female-dominated industry, a new report indicates that women PTs are still paid less than their male counterparts.

Despite being widely disputed by non-believers, there is no shortage of data showing that the gender pay gap is alive and well, with women being paid just 80% of what men are paid, on average. It seems that holds true in the physical therapy profession, as well.

Though typically a female-dominated industry, the 2018 State of Rehab Therapy report from WebPT shows that females are still earning less than their male counterparts. This is despite females now outpacing males in all leadership categories, except C-level executive roles, in which men out-represent women by only 9%. As reported by therapists themselves, more than half of the therapists who responded to the report indicated their salaries fell into the range of $50,000 to $90,000, with nearly a third falling into the $60,000 to $80,000 range. However, men were more significantly represented in the $70,001+ salary range, and females were more significantly represented in the salary range below $70,000. These findings are on par with the latest U.S. Census data from 2016, which showed that within the physical therapy occupation, women earn only 87.6% of their male equivalents’ salaries.

With more females in places of leadership within therapy practices around the country, these numbers may shift, in time. However, it is projected by the American Association of University Women that, as a whole, the gender pay gap across all industries is not expected to be closed until 2119.

These numbers, however, do not seem to be upsetting therapists too much, overall. According to the report, more than 60% of therapists who responded agreed that they liked being a therapist, which may indicate that success and satisfaction cannot only be measured by numbers.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Self-Care Tips for the Back-to-School Therapist

Take a look at a few helpful self-care tips for the busy school-based therapist. Because you can’t take care of others, if you don’t take care of yourself, first.

It’s that time again—with some schools across the country already back in session, and others headed back any day now, school-based therapists are likely feeling excited or overwhelmed, or some form of both. While you, as a well-educated therapy professional, are well versed in self-care, coping skills, and stress management in relation to your patients, you must remember to take care of yourself, as well. Here are some tips to make sure you stay centered, while the 2018-2019 schoolyear kicks into high gear.

Schedule Buffers into Your Day
A lot of being a school-based therapist revolves around structure and scheduling, but if you schedule things back-to-back-to-back, you’re bound to run yourself into the ground, and things will rarely go exactly as planned, anyhow. A session may run over time, or you may find yourself trapped in a conversation with a parent or coworker for far longer than you meant to. Leave yourself time to breathe—or run to the bathroom—between sessions, and you’ll be much better off.

Check in with Yourself
At the end of your day, check in with yourself in the form of some cognitive behavioral therapy, such as journaling. Research has shown that focusing on positive aspects of your day, and writing them down, can be greatly beneficial. Try making a list of three to five positive things that happened during your day, or that you and/or your students accomplished, before going to bed at night.

Unplug after Hours
It’s easy to get invested in your work. After all, you didn’t get into therapy because you don’t care. However, in caring for yourself, too, you need to leave work at work. Establish and maintain boundaries to keep yourself from burning out. Instead, fill your off hours with healthy hobbies or activities, such as gardening, cooking, or yoga, or even just treat yourself to a nice, long bath every now and then.

Remember, caring for yourself enables you to better care for others, so as the school year picks up speed and you find yourself busier and busier, step back, breathe, and get some rest. Everything is going to be okay.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Writing Children’s Books: How and Why to Give it a Try

PTs and other therapy professionals have a specialized skillset, such as heaps of empathy and an intimate understanding of disability, making them prime candidates to pen children’s books.

from The Non-Clinical PT

Maybe you’re burned out on patient care. Maybe you’re trying to figure out how your PT education and practice can help you forge a new path. You’re trying to think practically, of course—after all, your family, friends, and colleagues would think you were bonkers to make a total 180 at this stage of the game. Maybe it’s too late to try something totally new anyway…right? Wrong! Here are just a few reasons why PTs can become great kidlit writers.

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Debt and the DPT: What Went Wrong?

The majority of PT students will have more than $70K in student loan debt at the time of graduation, making some therapists question whether elevating PT education requirements was the right move.

from Evidence in Motion

Last month, my team and I released the results of our second annual State of Rehab Therapy industry survey, and while some of our findings aligned with expectations, there were several data points that left us pondering—and worrying about—potential implications for the profession as a whole. One such finding: The astounding levels of debt reported by DPT students. According our survey results, the majority of PT students (more than half) will have more than $70,000 in student loan debt at the time of graduation, and over one-third will owe more than $100,000.

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

3 Common Rehab Therapy Credentialing Mistakes

If your clinic and therapists aren’t properly credentialed with insurance providers, your bottom line could very well suffer.

from WebPT

Proper credentialing is a crucial step in running a successful physical therapy clinic. If your clinic and therapists aren’t properly credentialed with insurance providers from the get-go, your bottom line might suffer. And it’s not just new clinics that are susceptible to making credentialing mistakes; in fact, any clinic that has gone through a change in ownership, rapid growth phase, or any other transition might find itself mired in credentialing headaches.

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Occupational Therapists and the Benefits of Yoga

A new study finds that incorporating the positive holistic influence of yoga practice into your OT practice could have many benefits for patients.

Over the past few decades, practicing yoga—the 5,000-year-old practice of asanas, or postures, designed to align your skin, muscles, and bone—has significantly caught on for many in the Western world, not only as a means of staying fit, but as a method of self-care. For Occupational Therapists, an increased knowledge of yoga may help to prepare them to meet the needs of clients in today’s ever-changing health care landscape. A recent study explored the perceptions of OTs and yoga practitioners on the health benefits of practicing yoga, as well as the role yoga could play within the scope of Western medicine, and found that, given the long history of yoga as a self-care strategy and its proven health benefits, there is a need to further explore incorporating yoga into the scope of traditional OT practice.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Trying Physical Therapy First For Low Back Pain May Curb Use Of Opioids

A study published in the journal Health Services Research suggests trying physical therapy first may may cost patients less in the long run, as well as curb reliance on opioids.

from NPR

Though Americans spend an estimated $80 billion to $100 billion each year in hopes of easing their aching backs, the evidence is mounting that many pricey standard treatments — including surgery and spinal injections — are often ineffective and can even worsen and prolong the problem.

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

How to Become a Continuing Education Instructor

Being a therapy professional doesn’t have to be limited to clinical practice. One alternative is to take on the non-clinical role of a Continuing Education Instructor.

from The Non-Clinical PT

Therapists, by nature, are educators, and that is a skill that provides a great deal of success in a clinical setting, as well as opportunities outside the clinic. One area of education that intrigues many therapists is continuing education. Becoming a continuing education instructor is a great way test out the waters of the education world, without the commitment of a full-time role. Being a con-ed instructor can also provide a good deal of flexibility and autonomy. 

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

How Therapy Providers Can Start Preparing for RCS-1

RCS-1 is a complete rewrite of therapy reimbursement rules, and will require therapy providers to make significant operational changes in order to maintain healthy businesses.

from McKnight’s

While the RCS-1 language is still in draft form as a notice of proposed rulemaking, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has indicated that it plans to implement this new classification system as early as October 2018. Among therapy providers, there has been much discussion of the challenges that would arise if CMS made the rule effective in 2018, but CMS has not indicated that it plans any delay in the rule.

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.