Music Therapy Found to Be of Little Help

The finding comes as a blow to many people who promote the therapy as a way to help children with autism.

from Autism Eye

The researchers, based in Norway, came to their conclusion after studying 364 children with the condition. They randomly assigned half of the children to enhanced standard care for five months. This included intensive behaviour therapy, speech therapy, sensory motor therapy and medication. They assigned the other 182 children to enhanced standard care, plus improvisational music therapy.

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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.

Are Medical Robots the Future for Physical and Behavioral Therapy?

Socially assistive medical robots are being developed to help patients rehabilitate from stroke or brain injury, and conduct autism behavioral therapy.

from Medical News Bulletin

Fifteen years ago, Dr. Maja Mataric founded the field of socially assistive robotics, which centers around helping people with convalescence and rehabilitation using the power of social influence to change behavior. A professor of neuroscience, pediatrics, and computer science at the University of Southern California (USC), Dr. Mataricrecently spoke to Jennifer Abbasi of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) about her work with socially assistive robots.

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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.

The PT’s Guide to Patient-Centered Marketing

Marketing to referral sources and payers is still a necessary part of the game, but in this new model of health care, marketing to patients is crucial.

from WebPT

We write a lot about patient-centered care, which makes sense, because it is the care model of the future. In this paradigm, patients are—as they should be—front and center when it comes to making decisions about their health care. Of course, this type of shift requires providers to change the way they deliver their services—you know, more collaboration, greater transparency, and widespread use of technology that fosters seamless health data exchange. But it also requires a shift in the way providers market their practices. Sure, marketing to referral sources and payers is still a necessary part of the game, but in this new model of health care, marketing to patients is absolutely crucial. To do so successfully, physical therapy clinics must adopt marketing strategies that focus on the things patients care about most—namely, getting better, faster. Here’s everything you need to know to do just that.

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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.

Technology-Based Rehabilitation to Improve Communication after Acquired Brain Injury

The utilization of technology has allowed for several advances in aphasia rehabilitation for individuals with acquired brain injury.

from Frontiers in Neuroscience

The utilization of technology has allowed for several advances in aphasia rehabilitation for individuals with acquired brain injury. Thirty-one previous studies that provide technology-based language or language and cognitive rehabilitation are examined in terms of the domains addressed, the types of treatments that were provided, details about the methods and the results, including which types of outcomes are reported. From this, we address questions about how different aspects of the delivery of treatment can influence rehabilitation outcomes, such as whether the treatment was standardized or tailored, whether the participants were prescribed homework or not, and whether intensity was varied. Results differed by these aspects of treatment delivery but ultimately the studies demonstrated consistent improvement on various outcome measures. With these aspects of technology-based treatment in mind, the ultimate goal of personalized rehabilitation is discussed.

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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.

My 4 Biggest Takeaways from WebPT’s Rehab Industry Survey

Some of the survey results were surprising, while others came with little shock, but all of it was very telling about therapy professions as a whole and what the future may hold.

from Evidence in Motion

Health care is often in the center ring of the modern media circus. And as a healthcare professional, I’m sure you’ve been caught in the crossfire of at least one or two debates on the subject—unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, that is. As I’ve watched this conversation unfold, I’ve noticed a concerning trend: physical therapy—and the professionals who provide it—is increasingly left out of the discussion.

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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.

The Role of the Front Office in Patient Retention

Front-office employees play a vital role when it comes to turning new patients into return patients.

from WebPT

In the words of the great William Shakespeare, “All the world’s a stage; and all the men and women merely players.” Whether we’re talking about the world’s stage or an actual stage, the success of every great performance hinges on each actor’s ability to fully embrace his or her role. In the case of a rehab therapy ensemble, each role is instrumental to ensuring the success of the entire practice. And when it comes to measuring that success, patient retention can tell you a lot about the efficacy of your services as well as all-around patient satisfaction. But high-quality care isn’t the only driver of patient retention, and your providers aren’t the only ones who play a part in creating loyal clients. Front-office employees also play a vital role when it comes to turning new patients into return patients. And when you and your staff understand that role, you can breathe new life into your patient retention strategy.

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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.

9 Self Care Tips for the Time-Crunched Therapist

Strategies helpful to prevent feeling overwhelmed and burned out for SLPs and other therapy professionals.

from ASHA Leader

Therapy professions attract driven people who are passionate about helping others, and this combination of traits can sometimes lead to feeling overwhelmed and burned out. Many therapy professionals have struggled with work/life balance at times, and a little self care can go a long way to combat that. Read on to discover tips for self care for SLPs and other therapy professionals from a fellow therapist who has endured this same struggle.

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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.

Yoga Can Be Just as Effective as Physical Therapy for Back Pain

Or so says a study published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

from Physical Therapy Products

A study published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine notes that both yoga and physical therapy are similarly effective in treating lower back pain. According to the study, participants in both groups had “similar improvements in levels of pain and activity limitations.”

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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 Leverage Therapist Assistants to Maximize Practice Efficiency

Whether lending a hand during therapy interventions or helping tackle mountains of paperwork, therapist assistants can boost your practice’s productivity.

from WebPT

I love a good procedural cop show. There’s a whole lot to glean from a Law & Order marathon—including valuable lessons like, “Don’t let your emotions overrule critical thinking,” and “Most New York district attorneys are former super models.” (I’m not sure I can confirm the latter.) But the advice that’s perhaps most relevant to my life is, “Recognize when you’re in over your head, and don’t be afraid to call in backup.” It’s something that many of us learn the hard way, but having a reliable ally to back you up can be invaluable when you feel snowed under. And if you’re a rehab therapist, you should look no further than your therapist assistant.

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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.

App Helps Users Find Ear-Friendly Places

Users of the iHEARu app help one another locate quieter spaces and hearing technology access through sound ratings and reviews.

from The ASHA Leader

A newly launched app, iHEARu, addresses and seeks to alleviate concerns about noise exposure by helping people in the United States and across the globe find ear-friendly places to hear and be heard. The app, available for free at the iTunes App Store and at Google Play, allows people to report sound levels and share them with others. Through crowdsourcing, people can choose to avoid the noisiest times at restaurants and other places.

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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.