Advancing Home Health Physical Therapy 2024 Summer Series: Innovations In Care CEU Courses for PTs

This course will promote deep thought and discussion about patient advocacy for older adults using real-life scenarios. It will examine what the PT profession should be doing at student, academic, clinical, and management levels to emphasize positive versus negative patient outcomes.

Despite the pervasive theme of coverage for maintenance services in the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual (Chapter 7 – Home Health Services), many home health physical therapists may overlook this important benefit due to uncertainty, concern for denial, or lack of clarity on how to apply the associated standards to patient care. This course is designed to inform Home Health Physical Therapists on compliant implementation of maintenance services through a clear description of the guidelines and application to real-life clinical scenarios.

This course introduces the PT to various assistive technologies (AT) available to improve the Quality of Life (QoL) for home-dwelling individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PwP). Assistive technology includes Voiced-Assisted Technology (VAT), Smartphone apps, and wearable sensors.

Review of the impact of the caregiver role on quality of life measures for both the caregiver and patient. Examine the impact of improved caregiver support and education on patient care and outcomes, including rehospitalization rates and wider monetary implications for healthcare organizations. Discover resources that can help to identify caregivers who may have an increased need for education or support. Discuss several ways therapists can incorporate caregiver support in a comprehensive model of care, and we will wrap the session with an open discussion of practical and ethical considerations for physical therapists.

Patients being seen in home health are more often presenting with acute medical complexities, and the therapist needs to have a clear understanding of pathology progressions, medications, and the impact on rehab of multiple medical conditions. This session will review key indicators of multiple medical conditions, cover the patient who presents with multiple complexities, and train the therapist to develop effective and safe interventions for these patients.