APTA CSM 2016 in My Shoes As I unpack and do laundry and try to readjust to real life again, I keep thinking about the themes that ran through all of my conversations this past week at APTA CSM. I feel like it’s really important to reflect on not just the content we learn at conferences of this scale, but also the 30,000 foot view of where our profession is and where we’re heading. Here’s a look at what sticks in my mind: Patients Are People This could not have been any more beautifully illustrated by two brave women who stood in front of a room full of physical therapists to share their very personal stories of the good, the bad, and the ugly they have experienced over the years in their journeys as patients. In the @womens_PT section in a session moderated by Jerry_DurhamPT, Erin (@mrsjacksoda) and Lisa (LISAMACNCHEESE) shared their frustrations with being looked at as a body part or a diagnosis rather than as a whole human being. These women gave simple suggestions that sometimes get lost in the healthcare shuffle, such as, “Listen to your patients” and “Tell your patients and their families the truth” and my favorite “If you don’t know, just don’t make shit up.” We would be well served to remember that interacting with other human beings requires a biopsychosocial model of care. Patients are whole people, with fears and anxieties and families and careers and everything else that plays into their journey through the healthcare system. As we shift as a profession to caring more about population health and early intervention, we need to keep in mind that true health and wellness involve a lot more than just exercise. We need to think about all of the aspects of wellness that affect […]
Read more →You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) On a recent Saturday morning I woke up and turned over to grab my phone to see what time it was. All of a sudden WHOOMP, the whole world flipped upside down. “Uggggghhhh”, I moaned as I lay there motionless, trying to explain to my husband what I was wailing about. Vertigo. Unfortunately, this wasn’t my first experience with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). I had my first bout with BPPV over 20 years ago, under the same circumstances (went to bed fine, woke up in the morning and turned over to discover the whole world flipped upside down.) At that time I had no idea what was going on. At least this time I did. BP…What? BPPV is the most common disorder of the inner ear’s vestibular system. 2.4% of people will experience it in their lifetime. Let’s first talk about the name of the disorder. Benign indicates that it is not life threatening and generally doesn’t progress. Paroxysmal indicates sudden onset of symptoms. Positional refers to the fact that the symptoms usually occur with changes in head position. Vertigo is a spinning sensation. How does it happen? Our vestibular organs in our inner ear consist of the utricle, saccule and 3 semicircular canals. The semicircular canals detect rotational movement of the head. When the head rotates the fluid exerts pressure against the cupula, the sensory receptor at the base of the canal. The receptor then sends impulses to the brain about the head’s movement. BPPV occurs when the otoconia (tiny crystals of calcium carbonate that are a normal part of the inner ear’s anatomy) detach from the otolithic membrane in the utricle and collect in one of the semicircular canals. When the head is still, the otoconia settle. When the head […]
Read more →Over the past few years I’ve received countless emails, Tweets and phone calls from therapists with questions about starting and running a cash based practice. I’ve had the privilege to work one on one with some excellent therapists who are now venturing out on their own with this practice model; but, I can only help so many people at a time that way. I’m excited to launch my first Webinar designed to help you create the practice of your dreams. Thinking Outside the Box: Creating Your Cash Based Practice was designed to answer your questions. Whether you’re starting a new 100% cash based practice, transitioning from an insurance based to cash based practice, or looking to add cash based services to your existing practice, you’ll find what you need here. To your success! Ann
Read more →What Do You Love? As a private practice owner and health and fitness writer, I’m no stranger to the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur. I somewhat reluctantly took on this role back in 2003, when I first opened my private practice. I had been frustrated for months at my job in a busy rehab hospital, and thought that I could do better on my own. Without any formal business training, I sat down with a yellow legal pad and outlined what I wanted my business to look like. Now more than 10 years later (with four years in the middle working for someone else), I find myself thinking a lot about the good, the bad, and the ugly of self-employment. A few recent articles have caught my attention, and given me food for thought. The articles cover topics we don’t often discuss as business owners: the risk, the sleepless nights, the stress of an empty schedule or a phone that doesn’t ring. After talking with many business owners over the years, I know that we all share the same joys and frustrations, and I think that we need to talk more openly about our struggles in order to support each other. It goes against the grain for most business owners to talk about their struggles. After all, we take pride in our image. We want to appear in control and successful at all times. But this often comes at a great cost. This article discusses the psychological price of entrepreneurship in a candid fashion. It discusses the toll taken by lack of a steady paycheck, working long hours, risking security, and loss of time with friends and family. Several prominent business owners openly discuss their struggles with start-ups and failed ventures. The same article points out that […]
Read more →PPS13 In My Shoes I just got back from PPS13 in New Orleans, and all I can say is WOW. What a spectacular time. Everything was top notch, from the programming to the closing party. I did a recap for WebPT here. While I made the point in my post for WebPT that PPS13 was all about connecting, I want to share more of the personal side of my trip here on my blog. I got to see old friends and made new friends, and I got to sit and talk with the leaders of our profession about business and life. What a rush to get together with other private practice owners who could listen, display empathy, get excited for my successes, and offer advice for the future. Here are some of the highlights from my trip: We got to meet up with a friend of mine before the conference started. He does a lot of work in NOLA in the fitness industry, and was able to give us a tour of the New Orleans Athletic Club. This place was absolutely amazing. It opened in 1872 and is one of the oldest athletic clubs in the states. Where else can you work out on an elliptical machine in a room filled with chandeliers?! Their indoor pool is open to the 2nd level, where they have a boxing ring! After our tour, we went to have lunch with some friends from Kentucky (shout out to Patrick @PatrickMyersPT), Brad (@MyPTapexbrad) and Nick (@NickAustinPT)). And then we made our way to the famous Pat O’ Brien’s for Hurricanes. In the rain. We had a few… Over Hurricanes, I met Quinn Worden (@PTsAreHeros). Quinn is an impressive 24 year old with a vision to change the supply chain for physical therapy products. Check out […]
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