When treating patients, some therapists love their treatment of choice and share their testimonials of how it works. While other therapists love to bash that treatment of choice and share the research on how that treatment has not been shown to be effective. I don’t even want to begin the laundry list of “tools” in the “toolbox” that PT’s seem to pile up course after course when learning to treat their patients in pain. My hope is one day we can move past the methods (tools) of treating an individual in pain and understand the principles that can help.
As the end of the year approaches, at Evidence In Motion, we want to celebrate the best blog posts that our team members have shared throughout 2017. From the deeply personal struggle of allowing tragedy to connect clinician and patient to commentary on healthcare reform, this year’s blogs have covered a variety of topics that will help you become a more educated member of the healthcare profession. Here are some of the best:
Pain and Politics: Never Too Late to Get in the Game
By Jessie Podolak
Given the fact that I am, more often than not, a political-conversation-dodger who seems to breathe easier with my head in the sand, my recent visit to Washington D.C. to discuss the role of Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) in Health Care Reform with my U.S. Senators’ offices was quite a surreal and unexpectedly uplifting experience for me.
Hi, I am Your PT and Surgery is OK.
By Mark Shepherd
As PTs, we often urge our patients to avoid going under the knife-especially for the treatment of persistent pain. But what happens when the patient comes to you with a strong expectation and belief that surgery will help? That surgery is the right option and was developed from another healthcare provider that they trust? Do we adamantly educate the patient against this option?
Pain: everything works, but nothing is effective
By Kory Zimney
Pot for Pain: The Good, the Bad, and the Down-Right Scary
By Jessie Podolak
The topic of medical marijuana comes up from time to time in my clinic, with patients asking my opinion and trying to sway me one way or the other.I’m guessing, depending on your location and patient population, it comes up in your clinic too. Considering the substantial buzz on the topic, medical marijuana is something we now discuss in our advanced Therapeutic Neuroscience Education courses.And, it’s a topic we should all be prepared to discuss intelligently.
Tell Me a Story: The Importance of Listening vs. Hearing
By Jennifer Stone
Do you ever think about the privilege that our patients give us when they entrust us with their stories? Or the privilege that we have as a profession of having the TIME to listen? I know that is something that I have lost sight of at times, whether it’s due to the busy-ness of a crowded schedule, my own biases (SURE, you have a high pain tolerance, ), or other stressors or things that make me feel too busy to sit and listen.
Repeal and Replace Should have been Enhance and Improve
By Larry Benz
I was talking to a passenger on a plane recently. He is fully unsured but claims between very high deductibles and out of pocket, that his insurance doesn’t help much so he pays cash for medical services-says he even enjoys doing this. Claims to have negotiated a $200 MRI for all cash in a high volume center in Fl and then promptly turned the entire bill in to his insurance where it went against his high deductible. I think you can say, he has insurance but no benefits but he has access that he can afford. We opened a PT clinic in one of the most impoverished area codes in the country in West Louisville. It’s a population of over 25,000 without prior access to physical therapy. Many of these folks have #physicaltherapy needs and now have insurance but with copays and out of pocket costs, they cannot afford it. They are insured with no benefits and without affordable access.
I Still Believe Physical Therapy is the Worst Kept Secret in Healthcare
By Brett Neilson
I still believe physical therapy is the WORST kept secret in healthcare. Last year I wrote a blog titled “Physical Therapy – The WORST Kept Secret in Healthcare” which allowed for some great discussion by the readers on the topic of physical therapy and where we fit into the healthcare system. This blog post followed an open discussion called the “Chelan Chat” at the Washington State Private Practice Special Interest Group (PPSIG) spring conference at Lake Chelan, WA. The ‘Chelan Chat’ is a twist on the Annual Graham Sessions hosted by the Institute of Private Practice Physical Therapy and was moderated by Steve Anderson. This year I was asked to present an “I believe” speech, that I would like to share with everyone here as a means to continue the discussion and a call to action. Here it goes,
I am a Motherless Daughter
By Alexis Morgan
My momma died from a long-fought battle against cancer. I am a motherless daughter and have been now for over half of my life. I’m 23.
There. I finally (finally!) said it.
My name is Alexis Morgan, and I’m a 3rd year DPT student. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet several of you through various PT channels, yet few of you know I’m a motherless daughter. Many of my patients, however, do…
