www.nypta.org July/August, 2018 • Empire State Physical Therapy 1

Bo

Empire StateP h y s i c a l T h e r a p yThe Off icial Newslet ter of the New York Physical Therapy Associat ion, Inc.

IN THIS ISSUE

Volume L, NO. 22 July/August, 2018

NYPTA Advocacy Focuses on Workers' Comp Rate Increases By The NYPTA Workers' Comp Workgroup

NYPTA Advocacy Focuses on Workers' Comp Rate IncreasesCover Story (page 1, 3)

"Learning the Ropes"President’s Letter (page 2, 4)

2018 Spring Board of Directors Report (page 7)

Member Spotlight: Melanie A. Gillar, PT, DPT, MA (page 7-8)

Nominating Committee Article(page 9)

Nomination Forms(page 10-11)

Member Spotlight: Jim Smith, PT, DPT, MA(page 13-14)

Mini Conferences Overview(page 19)

NYPTA leadership has been acutely focused on an extremely rare op-portunity to increase payment for PT services under the workers’ com-pensation system. The implications for this issue extend far beyond workers’ comp, however, since many other insurers base their rates on the workers’ comp fee schedule.

In June, the state Worker’s Compensation Board (WCB) proposed changes to its fee schedule for physical therapy services. The proposal kicked off a review period that expires on August 5th. In response, NYPTA submitted a formal comment letter to the WCB. We expect a final fee schedule to be issued in October.

The Board’s proposed fee schedule is welcomed as it is the first comp rate increase in more than 22 years. However, the proposal maintains a cap of 8 Relative Value Units (RVUs) for follow up visits, which NYPTA opposes.

Therefore, our advocacy goals have been two-fold:• Support the proposed rate increases, which will not only increase

payment under the workers’ comp system, but will also positively influence rates set by other insurers and payers.

continued on page 3

2 Empire State Physical Therapy • July/August, 2018 www.nypta.org

E M P I R E S T A T EP H Y S I C A L T H E R A P YVolume XXXIX, No.(8), November/December, 2005

E M P I R E S T A T EP H Y S I C A L T H E R A P Y

Volume L, No.22July/August, 2018

Publisher New York Physical Therapy Association 971 Albany Shaker Road Latham, NY 12110Phone: 518.459.4499 • Toll-Free: 800.459.4489Fax: 518.459.8953

www.nypta.org

Editor / Designer Gloria BakerEmpire State Physical Therapy is published 6 times yearly, with combined January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October and November/December issues. Its purpose is to provide physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and physical therapist/physical therapist assistant students with accurate and timely information relevant to the practice of physical therapy. The editor reserves the right to edit all communications. Anonymous letters will not be published. Views expressed are those of the author and do not represent the formal position of NYPTA unless expressly stated.

Editorial BoardCatherine Talbett, PT, DPTAlanna Pokorski, PT, DPT

AdvertisementsAll advertisements in Empire State Physical Therapy must comply with the ethical standards of the APTA. Acceptance of advertisements in this publication does not imply endorsement.

Submission of Material for PublicationSubmissions should be sent via email to Gloria Baker, Editor, at gbaker@nypta.org. Submissions are subject to the discretion of the

editorial board.

SubscriptionsNYPTA members automatically receive this publication. Nonmember subscriptions are $100 (US) or $150 (non-US) annually. This price includes sales tax, shipping and handling.

DeadlinesEditorial and advertising deadlines are the first business day of the month prior to the month of publication.

Chapter Officers President Peggy Lynam, PT, DPT Vice President Michael Tisbe, PT, DPT Treasurer Keri Gill-Smith, PT, DPT Secretary JJ Mowder-Tinney, PT, PhD Speaker Robert Streb, PT, PhD Chief Delegate James Dunleavy, PT, DPT, MS

Chapter Directors Brooklyn/Staten Island Hammonuda Soliman, PT, DPT Catskill Tylene Lizardi, PT, DPT, ATC Central Adam Rufa, PT, DPT Eastern Sarah Gardner, PT, DPT Finger Lakes Andrew Bartlett, PT Greater New York Cary Kandel, PT Hudson Valley Nannette Hyland, PT, PhD Long Island Keith Perrucci, PT, Southern Tier Genevieve Smith, PT, DPT Western Jacob McPherson, PT, DPT

Chapter Office Staff Executive Director Kelly Garceau kgarceau@nypta.org Communications Manager Gloria Baker gbaker@nypta.org Meetings, Marketing & Membership Manager To Be Hired Administrative Assistant Liz Obuya lizobuya@nypta.org

Copyright 2018 by the New York Physical Therapy Association. Requests for reprints should be directed to Gloria Baker at NYPTA, 971 Albany Shaker Road, Latham, NY 12110.

“Optimal member engagement relies on effective communication which

has to be a 2-way street”Peggy

Peggy Lynam, PT, DPT

President’s letter

"Learning the Ropes"

continued on page 4

As I begin to write this letter, I have just completed my first two full weeks as NYPTA President. So, I am still “learning the ropes” of this leadership position. One thing I have learned so far, though, is that these “ropes” can include some knots. I encountered my first knot as I began considering how best to communicate with you, the NYPTA membership.

Even though social media has become a very common way of communi-cating, I admit that I am a social media novice. NYPTA has a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and Pinterest. Of these four, I only have an account with Linked In which I use rarely. I have learned that as NYPTA President, I will have a Twitter account. In an effort to learn how to use Twitter, I decided to reach out to the new first year DPT students at LIU where I am on faculty. I asked the class if anyone would be willing to become my Twitter “coach”. At first I was met with blank

stares and no one volunteered. Then, one brave young

woman shouted out that “we young people do not use Twitter.” Thus, my first “knot” – I realized that I am more behind the times than I thought with respect to the most current “in” method of

communicating, at least for our younger, newer student members.

Despite this apparent setback, optimizing communication and member engagement remains one of my priorities for the Chapter. On my first full day as President, I attended the Chapter Presidents meeting in Orlando, FL which is held every year in conjunction with APTA’s House of Delegates and NEXT Conference. At this meeting, the Chapter Presidents were asked to share their number 1 priority for their Chapter. One of the most common answers was the same as mine – member engagement and communication. So, I learned that that we are not alone in our Chapter’s challenges with these issues.

At this meeting, I also learned that APTA has implemented some new initiatives to address these same issues. The APTA Board of Directors is currently developing a new 3 year Strategic Plan for the Association. This strategic plan will address 4 main areas, one of which relates to engage-ment across the PT community, especially with more vulnerable groups such as PTAs and early career PTs. Another APTA goal related to member engagement is to promote activities to increase PTA membership to 10,000 in 2019, which is the 50th anniversary of the PTA.

www.nypta.org July/August, 2018 • Empire State Physical Therapy 3

NYPTA Advocacy Focuses on Workers' Comp Rate In-creasesBy The NYPTA Workers'Comp Workgroup

• Call for an increase of the Board’s proposed 8 RVU cap for follow up visits to a cap of 16 RVUs.

The latter of the two goals represents our greatest challenge. As defined by the Centers for Medicare and Med-icaid Services (CMS) an RVU is the collective value of the relative time and intensity associated with providing a service; the costs of maintaining a practice (such as renting office space, buying supplies and equipment, and staff costs); and the costs of malpractice insurance. Combined, these form the basis of how much a provider is paid for a service. A bit oversimplified, that means fewer RVUs render lower payment and more RVUs generate higher payment.

While we welcome the rate increase proposed, the retention of an 8 RVU cap will diminish the positive impact the rate changes will have on payment.

Therefore, we have argued and will continue to argue two key and irrefutable points that support the case for increasing the RVU cap to 16. First, limiting payment means limiting care for injured workers. Denying effec-tive care to injured workers is contrary to the mission of the WCB. Second, amid an opioid addiction epidemic, public policy must incentivize alternatives to Schedule II medications. We supplied the WCB with studies and results from other states that demonstrate the effectiveness of PT as an alternative to opioids that not only re-turns workers to health without the risk of opioid dependency, but does so at a lower cost.

We will be taking this case to the public as well in the coming weeks.

As you know, we have worked to engage the full NYPTA membership in our advocacy efforts. We hope that you were able to submit a comment letter prior to the August 5th deadline. If you haven’t engaged, you can still make your voice heard by submitting your comments to the office of Governor Andrew Cuomo. Use the tem-plate comment letter on our website and simply change the addressee to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Executive Chamber, NYS Capitol Building, Albany, NY 12224.

In the meantime NYPTA leadership will continue to make every effort possible to influence the WCB and the Governor’s office to approve the proposed rate increase and increase the RVU from 8 to 16.

4 Empire State Physical Therapy • July/August, 2018 www.nypta.org

"Learning the Ropes" (continued)

The NYPTA has also taken action to promote improved PTA member engagement. This past May, the 2018 Delegate Assembly (DA) passed a Chapter Bylaw amendment that gives PTA members the same proportional representation as PT members at future DAs. As a result of this change, PTA members will have an equal voice in deciding Chapter policy, electing Chapter Officers and amending Chapter Bylaws.

Another example of this Chapter’s commitment to optimizing member engagement is that in June, the Executive Committee approved hiring a Membership Coordinator as one of the fulltime Chapter Office staff based on the recommendation of our Executive Director, Kelly Garceau. Some of the responsibilities of this new staff member will include coordination and oversight of membership activities, collaboration with the Chapter Membership Committee on membership recruitment and retention initiatives, and development of surveys to gauge member involvement and engagement. Recruitment efforts for this staff member are currently underway.

Optimal member engagement relies on effective communication which I believe has to be a 2-way street. It is not enough for Chapter leadership to communicate our messages to the membership but we need to hear from you. Your voice is valued and necessary. In order to have the most effective messaging to members, we have to know not just what you want to “hear”, but how you want to “hear” it. This point brings me back to the beginning of my letter to you – trying to determine which method(s) of communication will be the most optimal. I do not yet have the answer but I welcome your input.

What is your preferred method of communication? Twitter? Instagram? Texts? Emails? Webinars? In person conversations at meetings?

I am excited about the opportunity to engage with you over the next months, not only via electronic means such as this newsletter, but also at upcoming Chapter and District events, and I hope ongoing discussions with you, the members, will help me unravel some of the “knots in my ropes”.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your summer.

Best Regards,

Peggy

www.nypta.org July/August, 2018 • Empire State Physical Therapy 5

2018 Spring Board of Directors ReportBy J.J. Mowder-Tinney, PT, PhD, Board Secretary

On May 10 and 11, 2018, the New York Physical Therapy Board of Directors (BOD) met in Saratoga Springs, New York. Motions passed at the meeting included:

• Motion to approve the award for the 2018 Arthur J. Nelson Research Designated Fund (RDF) to Sharon Marti-no PT PhD, for the project entitled “The effect of exercise intensity on cardiovascular health and body compo-sition in children who are overweight or obese: A pilot study.”

• Motion to approve the revised bylaws for the Hudson Valley District. • Motion to approve the NYPTA Sponsorship Policy that defines a sponsorship and clarifies that sponsors must

align with the practices, policies and operations of the NYPTA. Policy guidelines were provided to assist in providing more consistent practice in the Chapter and other chapter-associated groups.

• Motion to charge the EC to appoint a Strategic Planning workgroup. The current Strategic Plan expires in 2019 and needs to be updated during this current year. This planning workgroup is charged with establishing a pro-cess and timeline for development of the 2020-2022 strategic plan and report to the BOD by August 1st, 2018.

In addition, a motion was submitted to approve a one-year special project to retain the services of a Strategic Con-sulting group. There was extensive discussion regarding the consultant including the goals of the group as well as the cost. A motion to postpone definitely until no later than the Fall BOD meeting was approved.

The generative discussion was robust with many different topics brought forth. These topics included restarting an advocacy workshop in collaboration with Public Policy and the Program Committee, a review of the role of the chapter conference in regards to finances as well as suggestions for the use of the first floor space of the back building of the NYPTA office. Additionally concerns regarding lack of participation by committee members were discussed at length, including suggestions for ways to make improvements and to increase accountability. Finally ways to increase membership at a district level were discussed. The APTA board liaison reviewed the current status of APTA membership and emphasized the need to focus on improving the perceived value in joining.

On May 12, 2018, the Delegate Assembly (DA) met with a voting strength of 167. The delegates spent a full day electing officers, the delegates to the 2019 House of Delegates, voting on motions to direct the Chapter, and discuss-ing APTA motions for the House of Delegates.

Elections were held and Peggy Lynam was elected as President. They also elected Michael Tisbe as Vice Presi-dent, Robert Streb as Speaker of the House, and Vicki Wilkins as a member of the Nominating Committee.

The delegates also elected the following delegates to the 2019 APTA House of Delegates: Jeremy Crow, Nan Hy-land, Michael Masaracchio, Michael Mattia, Jacob McPherson, Marilyn Moffat, Audrey Paslow, Lynn Rivers, Adam Rufa, Robert Streb, Michael Tisbe and Cary Kandel.

Lynn Rivers, Speaker of the Delegate Assembly, led the DA in a process that encouraged delegates to discuss each of the APTA House of Delegates’ motions RC 1-18 through RC 57-18. Each RC was discussed and a straw poll taken to determine the Delegate Assembly’s will in terms of Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, or Strongly Disagree for each of these motions unless they had been accepted as being on the consent calendar. These discussions and the straw polls that followed serve to provide the HOD delegates with information about the opinions of New York Chap-ter members. They were then able to take this information forward to Orlando, FL for voting purposes at the 2018 APTA House of Delegates.

The meeting concluded with the recognition of many members and all of their contributions to the Chapter. A few of the awards given by the Awards Committee included: Michael Masaracchio and James Smith for the Dr. Mari-lyn Moffat Distinguished Service Award and Michael Mattia for the Leslie J Wood Outstanding Service to Chapter Award. Ann Homer was also recognized for 20 years as the NYPTA DA Parliamentarian.

6 Empire State Physical Therapy • July/August, 2018 www.nypta.org

M2018 Mini - Conferences

The NYPTA has heard what members are asking for, and we are delivering! Requests to have continuing education courses held throughout the state have resulted in the second year of the NYPTA Mini Conference Series. We are thrilled to offer locations in Long Island and Schenect-ady, that will feature full day continuing education seminars.

• September 15th – Danford’s Marina Hotel, Port Jefferson

Registration is now open!

• October 20th – DoubleTree Hotel, Schenectady

More information on each mini-conference can be found on page 19. Congratulations to Greater New York District - the 2017 Recipient of the Golden Goniometer Award! ng

district had a variety of submissions, including creating an NYPTA team of 63 participants to participate in a 5K, whichncer research. The district also hosted a student social, challenged all district members to change their social media profiles to the #ChoosePT frame, posted #ChoosePT statistics on social media accounts, and created video PSAs on why patihoose PT as a safe alternative to opioids for

#111 Brian Hoke's Advanced Level Biomechanics course of the Foot and Ankle Brian R. Hoke, DPT, SCS Sept. 15-16, 2018 NYC, NY #114 Donatelli’s Shoulder Rehab with Lab Robert Donatelli, Ph.D, PT, OCS December 1-2, 2018 NYC, NY #116 Cervical Spine Evaluation, Examination, and Intervention Robert Friberg, PT, PhD, CFMT© October 13-14, 2018 Brooklyn, NY #384 Kinesio Taping® (Day 1-2 toward Certification) Patricia Martin, PT, CKTI Nov 30 – Dec 1, 2018 Marlton, NJ

#329 Pediatric NDT Intensive Handling Techniques Gail Ritchie, OTR, C/NDT October 21-22, 2018 Brooklyn, NY #336 Introduction to Contemporary Pediatric NDT Lisa Madigan-Carey PT, MS, C/NDT Sept. 21-22, 2018 Marlton, NJ Nov. 8-9, 2018 West Seneca, NY #337 Successfully Using Sign Language with Children Who Have Special Needs

October 19, 2018 Livingston, NJ #349 Treating Children w/ Severe Physical Disabilities Marcia Stamer,MH, PT, C/NDT February 23-24, 2018 Marlton, NJ May 10-11, 2018 West Seneca, NY

Motivations Inc is an approved sponsor of CE by the New York State Education Dept,

Office of the Professionals. Submitted for approval to the New Jersey

State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners.

www.motivationsceu.com admin@motivationsceu.com

www.nypta.org July/August, 2018 • Empire State Physical Therapy 7

Member Spotlight: Melanie A. Gillar, PT, DPT, MAOwner/President of Gillar Physical Therapy

How long have you been a member of the NYPTA? What is your best experience thus far?I’ve been a member of NYPTA since I moved to New York in 1977. I’ve loved all the opportunities that my involvement in NYPTA made possible, but my favorite was when I was Chief Delegate from 1999 to 2003.

Tell us a little about your background, and how your path led you to where you are in your career today. What's your favorite moment of your career so far?I grew up in New Jersey the oldest of three girls. In high school, our Senior Class project was “patterning” a young girl with cerebral palsy. That was my first exposure to a “helping” situation. A friend had applied to a college with the idea of majoring in physical therapy. That piqued my interest. I had already completed all my college applications applying as a Spanish major. When I went up to UConn to register for classes for my first semester, I indicated I was interested in majoring in physical therapy. The person I met with reviewed my information and immediately called the Associate Dean of the Physical Therapy Program, Dr. Frances M. Tap-pan, PT, EdD. I was sent over immediately to meet with Dr. Tappan who admitted me as a freshman into the PT Program, Class of 1975.

My favorite moment of my career so far? That’s a difficult one. I’ve had many wonderful moments in my career. Two that come to mind are my promotion to and tenure as PT Manager at what was then The New York Hospital – Cornell Medical Center (now NY Presbyterian – Weill Cornell Medical Center) and the second was when I was asked to write a chapter for a new PT textbook. Seeing my chapter in print when the textbook was published was an enormous thrill!

What are some of the key opportunities and challenges facing the physical therapy profession?We have both an amazing opportunity as well as a challenge to get the next generation of leaders involved at the grass roots level. How we mentor needs to be different than how my contemporaries and I were mentored. We need to consider the generational differences and adapt how we communicate and structure opportunities for this next generation of leaders to engage them and make them want to participate in District, Chapter and National activities and opportunities. For a Baby Boomer like myself, this means really thinking outside the box and the lines!

What advice would you give NYPTA members who are new to the profession?Get involved in the NYPTA at the district level. Get to know your local colleagues, get involved in district ac-tivities, and start expanding your PT network. One of the greatest joys of being involved at the District, Chap-ter, and National levels for me has been the amazing colleagues that I’ve met. Many of those colleagues are now very close friends and part of what I refer to as my “APTA family”.

What is a favorite tip you have that you could share with others in our industry?As I indicated above, networking is extremely important. Networking and having access to colleagues both lo-cally and nationally affords you many opportunities for consultation and collaboration.

8 Empire State Physical Therapy • July/August, 2018 www.nypta.org

Member Spotlight (continued): Melanie A. Gillar, PT, DPT, MAOwner/President of Gillar Physical Therapy

What are you passionate about? I'm passionate about the profession of physical therapy! Through all of the ups and downs of life, being a physical therapist has been a constant for me. It has given me so many opportunities and so much joy. I'm always amazed that a profession I decided on at the age of 17 never having been in a physical therapy depart-ment or clinic has been so wonderful to me!!

What else would you like your fellow NYPTA members to know about you?I love to read and for me that means holding an actual book in my hand when I’m doing it. Spy stories are my favorite genre and I mostly read fiction. Once I find an author I like, I always look to see what else they’ve written. Daniel Silva is one of my favorites. I’ve been reading his novels in the order they were written and look forward to the new one that comes out every year. I also keep an ongoing list of novels that I think will interest me. Every week I review the best-seller lists in The New York Times Book Review to see what piques my interest and add those that do to my list.

What is your favorite app or social media outlet?Is texting a social media outlet? If it is, it’s my only social media outlet. I text, I email, but my favorite form of communicating is still talking on the phone!

What is your guilty pleasure?I have more than one. I love TV shows and I love being able to watch them On Demand at a time that works for me. My other guilty pleasure is hot dogs/pigs in a blanket. When we used to travel to Albany for NYPTA Board meetings, we always stopped at the rest stop on the NY Thruway between Exits 19 and 20 because they had a Nathan’s Hot Dogs stand. I won’t divulge the names of the others, but I do know that I wasn’t the only one with that guilty pleasure!!

www.nypta.org July/August, 2018 • Empire State Physical Therapy 9

It’s Time to Nominate Someone for Chapter Office

At our 2019 Delegate Assembly, we will hold an election to fill the following officer positions:

• Secretary

• Treasurer

• Chief Delegate

• Nominating Committee Member

• PTA Caucus Representative

Please consider the leaders and members in your district who are qualified for these positions. You could even nominate yourself. The Nominating Committee would like to develop a strong slate of candidates for these positions, so we need your help. Please talk to your colleagues and ask them to consider running for one of these positions.

The Nomination form for Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Delegate and Nominating Committee member may be found at https://www.nypta.org/page/20192021Nomination and must be submitted to Chapter Office no later than November 15, 2018 at 5:00 PM.

The Nomination form for PTA Caucus Representative may be found at https://www.nypta.org/page/PTACaucus?. The deadline for this nomination form is December 17, 2018 at 5:00 PM.

If you and your colleagues would like more information regarding the officer positions to be filled in 2019, job descriptions and time commitment for these positions are available on the NYPTA website:

• Job descriptions: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.nypta.org/resource/resmgr/imported/Job_desc2011.pdf

• Time commitment: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.nypta.org/resource/resmgr/imported/time_commit-ment2011.pdf

If you have any questions regarding the nomination process, please contact a member of the Nominating Com-mittee. We are here to help you.

• Joanne Katz, Chair joanne.katz@downstate.edu

• James Smith jsmith@utica.edu

• Vicki Wilkins vlwpt@aol.com

Printable forms are available on the following pages.

It's Time to Nominate Someone for Chapter OfficeBy Joanne Katz, PT, DPT, PhD

10 Empire State Physical Therapy • July/August, 2018 www.nypta.org

Nomination FormT e r m o f O f f i c e : 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 1

Nominations are being accepted for the offices of Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Delegate and Nominating Committee Member (1).

Instructions: Complete one copy of this form for each nominated individual. Submit this form to the Chapter Office. If you wish, you may nominate a person for more than one elected position on this form. The completed form(s) must be RECEIVED by the Chapter Office no later than November 15, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. There will be no exceptions to this deadline.

Please print or type.Individual’s full name: _________________________________________________________Complete home or work address: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Telephone numbers: (h) (_____) ___________________ (w) (_____) __________________

The above individual is nominated for election to the following office:

_____________________________________ or ____________________________________ The Chapter Office will solicit the consent to serve and biographical information from the person you nominate. The individual must have been a member of the association for two years preceding the election date and be qualified to execute the duties of the elected position(s).

Please print or type.Your full name: _______________________________________________________________District: _____________________________________________________________________Your signature: _______________________________________________________________ Date: ________________________________________________________________________

Designate in what official capacity you are submitting this form; e.g., elected District Officer, Chapter Committee Chairperson, or Chapter Member. If no designation is noted, the Chapter Member capacity will be assumed.

❑ On behalf of committee: ____________________ ________________________ ❑ On behalf of a district: ____________________ ________________________ ❑ Individual member: ______________________________________________

Title of Office Committee Name

Title of Office District Name

www.nypta.org July/August, 2018 • Empire State Physical Therapy 11

If this is a self-nomination, please sign below showing your consent.

Date Signature

New York Chapter Nomination Form Representative to the 2019-2021 PTA Caucus

Deadline: December 17, 2018

Instructions: Please print or type on the form below and mail or fax it to the Chapter Office (NYPTA, 971 Albany Shaker Road, Latham, NY 12110) by the deadline above. The completed form must be RECEIVED in Chapter Office by December 17, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. There will be no exceptions to this deadline.

Qualifications: Only Physical Therapist Assistant or Life Physical Therapist Assistant members who have been APTA members for one year immediately preceding election may serve as Chapter Representative.

Full Name: Address: Phone: (H) ( ) (W) ( ) Email:

Submitted By:

Membership #:

Date of Membership in Chapter:

Please mail or fax this form to New York Physical Therapy Association971 Albany Shaker Road, Latham, NY 12110 q Fax: 518-459-8953

12 Empire State Physical Therapy • July/August, 2018 www.nypta.org

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www.nypta.org July/August, 2018 • Empire State Physical Therapy 13

Member Spotlight: Jim Smith, PT, DPT, MAUtica College, Professor of Physical Therapy

How long have you been a member of the NYPTA? What is your best experience thus far?I joined the NYPTA in 2005, when I moved to Clinton, NY from Connecticut. I have served 3 times as an NYPTA delegate in APTA’s House of Delegates. While I had prior experience serving in APTA’s House of Delegates, I was fortunate to have Gabe Yankowitz mentor me through my first House with the NY delegation. That process provided me with a mentor and friend, and I have appreciated his wisdom about the House of Del-egates, the profession and society.

Tell us a little about your background, and how your path led you to where you are in your career today. What's your favorite moment of your career so far?Much of my career has been in hospital-based practice at the Johns Hopkins Hospital (Maryland) and Hartford Hospital (Connecticut). I was the founding director for the Connecticut Community Colleges’ Physical Thera-pist Assistant Program, a consortium program based at Naugatuck Valley Community College. Now I am a professor of physical therapy at Utica College.

My service in the profession includes treasurer, director, and Public Relations Committee chair in the Con-necticut Physical Therapy Association; president, Education Committee chair, and Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee chair in the Academy of Acute Care Physical Therapy; and the Awards Committee chair and service on several task forces for the APTA.

I am excited to be working on the Academy of Acute Care Physical Therapy’s honorary lecture, which I will give at CSM 2019.

What are some of the key opportunities and challenges facng the physical therapy profession?PTs and PTAs provide a valuable service, and our challenge is that the value is not always recognized or ap-preciated. Our opportunities to overcome that challenge are by (1) validating that value through high quality evidence, (2) communicating that value through high quality documentation and (3) advocating that value to patients, the health care community and society.

What advice would you give NYPTA members who are new to the profession?Engage in the profession. Achieving licensure is the minimum threshold for serving patients, and we have a responsibility to continually improve the quality of our services. The best investments in my development have been achieved through participation in district, chapter and national APTA meetings and activities. Those have provided me with wonderful learning and with relationships with mentors and collaborators that have advanced my career.

What is a favorite tip you have that you could share with others in our industry?Advocate. Advocate to your patients to advance their engagement in the profession of physical therapy. Advo-cate in your clinic for high quality physical therapy. Advocate to legislators so that they appreciate our value to New York. Advocate to society to engage others in optimizing movement to improve the human experience. We do great things and we need to get the word out so that we are the practitioners of choice for movement and movement problems.

14 Empire State Physical Therapy • July/August, 2018 www.nypta.org

Member Spotlight (continued): Jim Smith, PT, DPT, MA Utica College, Professor of Physical Therapy

What are you passionate about? Physical therapy, acute care physical therapy, outcome measures, advocacy, and APTA. And canoeing- lots and lots of canoeing!

What else would you like your fellow NYPTA members to know about you?In October I will celebrate the 30th anniversary of my marriage to Ellen Smith, RN, MPH, PhD, a professor of nursing at Utica College. Our sons are Patrick, a computer programmer living in Connecticut and Erik, who is about to embark on a 10 months Rotary Exchange experience in India. I enjoy country living in Clin-ton, NY and invite my colleagues in NY to visit because there are few things better than watching the sun set while drinking wine on our deck.

I love whitewater, I love canoeing and I have won national championships in open canoe whitewater slalom. I continue to race and to explore rivers in NY, Canada and elsewhere.

What is your favorite app or social media outlet?Facebook- it’s a great way for me to keep informed about my colleagues across the state and the country

What is your guilty pleasure?Scotch

www.nypta.org July/August, 2018 • Empire State Physical Therapy 15

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Earn all of your CEUs online Keep patients engaged with their care Improve adherence and outcomes

16 Empire State Physical Therapy • July/August, 2018 www.nypta.org

Continuing EducationAdvance your career with 500+ accredited web-based courses with Chad Cook, Jay Dicharry, J.J. Mowder-Tinney, and many more.

Annual Plans Starting at Only $200/year!Save $175 when you join MedBridge today.

Patient EducationEmpower patients to take ownership of their recovery with 3D model videos and handouts customizable for all levels of health literacy.

Home Exercise ProgramsChoose from 5,000+ video-based exercises for easy-to-use HEPs that improve adherence and help your patients get better faster.

MedBridge for Physical Therapists

www.nypta.org July/August, 2018 • Empire State Physical Therapy 17

Equipment Options Include:

Free EMV mobile reader for your smartphone or tablet*

$50 Bluetooth mobile reader*

$50 EMV credit card machine*

Virtual Terminal for recurring billing 

Switch your processor before the holidays to make sure your business has a Happy New Year 

Send a statement from your current processor for a line by line savings analysis to info@retailcouncilnys.com

Contact Nicholl or Carly at (800) 442-3589 or (518) 465-3586

Bring your practice into the 21st century with the help of 

NYPTA's Member Benefit Credit Card Processing Program 

18 Empire State Physical Therapy • July/August, 2018 www.nypta.org

to CompetentProfessional Services

Professional misconduct and

unlicensed practice of the professions

are against the law!

To report suspected cases of professional misconduct or

unlicensed practice of the professions, call 800-442-8106

or emailconduct@mail.nysed.gov.

2018 - 2020 Elected Members!NYPTA President

Peggy J. Lynam, PT, DPT

NYPTA Vice PresidentMichael Tisbe, PT, DPT

SpeakerRobert M. Streb, PT, PhD

Nominating CommitteeVicki Wilkins, PT, DPT

News & Announcements

Connect with us on Social Media!

(Click buttons to view)

There’s no better way to:

• Communicate

• Engage

• Share information

Upcoming Events

Fall EC/BOD MeetingOctober 18-19, 2018

DoubleTreeSchenectady, NY

Mini-ConferenceOctober 20, 2018

DoubleTreeSchenectady, NY

Winter BOD MeetingWeb-based

January 19, 2019

Elected Delegates to the 2019 HOD Jeremy Crow (GNY) Audrey Paslow (E) Nanette Hyland (HV) Lynn Rivers (W) Michael Masaracchio (B/SI) Adam Rufa (C) Michael Mattia (BI/SI) Robert Streb (LI) Jake McPherson (W) Michael Tisbe (C) Marilyn Moffat (GNY) Cary Kandel (GNY)

www.nypta.org July/August, 2018 • Empire State Physical Therapy 19

September 15th – Danford’s Marina Hotel, Port Jefferson

Course Title: Rehabilitation of Balance and Vestibular System DisordersPresented by: Arturo Miguel, PT, MS, MBA

Course Description: Rehabilitation of Balance and Vestibular System Disorders is an evidence based introductory course that will train clinicians in identifying balance and vestibular impairments and formulat-ing comprehensive treatment plans for their patients in an inpatient and outpatient setting. This course will include a detailed review of balance senses and balance strategies as well as discussion of balance screens and treatment considerations. In addition, there will be a brief introduction into vestibular therapy including anatomy and physiology of the vestibular system, oculomotor screening and treatment techniques. The material will be presented in lecture, demonstration, lab and video format. CEHs: 6.5

Online Registration is Open. Register Today!

October 20th – DoubleTree Hotel, Schenectady

Course Title: Get Your Head in the Game: Rehabilitative Strategies to Address ConcussionsPresented by: Audrey Paslow PT, DPT, NCS

Course Description: This introductory course will cover the basics involving concussion management evaluation and treatment strategies for the physical therapist. The speaker will present a multi-faceted evaluation approach, the domains of health affected by concussion, and the treatment strategies that accom-pany each evaluation technique. This includes assessment of the cervical spine, oculomotor and vestibular evaluations, balance assessment, and finally, addressing the importance of including exertional testing and retraining with a specific protocol. The speaker will include information on health literacy and learning as it affects this population, as well as a break-out sessions of patient case examples to work through.CEHs: 6.5

Online Registration: Will be available late summer

2018 Mini-Conferences Overview

20 Empire State Physical Therapy • July/August, 2018 www.nypta.org

This plan is NOT insurance.The plan is not insurance coverage and does not meet the minimum creditable coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act or Massachusetts M.G.L. c. 111M and 956 CMR 5.00. This discount card program contains a 30 day cancellationperiod. Discount Medical Plan Organization: New Bene ts, Ltd., Attn: Compliance Department,PO Box 671309 Dallas, TX 75367-1309, 800.800.7616.

© 2015 Teladoc, Inc. All rights reserved. Teladoc and the Teladoc logo are registered trademarks of Teladoc, Inc. and may not be used without written permission. Teladoc does not replace the primary care physician. Teladoc does not guarantee that a prescription will be written. Teladoc operates subject to state regulation and may not be available in certain states. Consults are not available outside of the U.S. Teladoc does not prescribe DEA controlled substances, non-therapeutic drugs and certain other drugs which may be harmful because of their potential for abuse. Teladoc physicians reserve the right to deny care for potential misuse of services. Teladoc phone consultations are available 24 hours, 7 days a week while video consultations are available during the hours of 7am to 9pm, 7 days a week.

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www.nypta.org July/August, 2018 • Empire State Physical Therapy 21

Visit teladoc.com/feelbetter

Enter your name, date of birth and Member # (exactly as printed on your card/booklet)

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23

This plan is NOT insurance.The plan is not insurance coverage and does not meet the minimum creditable coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act or Massachusetts M.G.L. c. 111M and 956 CMR 5.00. This discount card program contains a 30 day cancellationperiod. Discount Medical Plan Organization: New Bene ts, Ltd., Attn: Compliance Department,PO Box 671309 Dallas, TX 75367-1309, 800.800.7616.

© 2015 Teladoc, Inc. All rights reserved. Teladoc and the Teladoc logo are registered trademarks of Teladoc, Inc. and may not be used without written permission. Teladoc does not replace the primary care physician. Teladoc does not guarantee that a prescription will be written. Teladoc operates subject to state regulation and may not be available in certain states. Consults are not available outside of the U.S. Teladoc does not prescribe DEA controlled substances, non-therapeutic drugs and certain other drugs which may be harmful because of their potential for abuse. Teladoc physicians reserve the right to deny care for potential misuse of services. Teladoc phone consultations are available 24 hours, 7 days a week while video consultations are available during the hours of 7am to 9pm, 7 days a week.

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22 Empire State Physical Therapy • July/August, 2018 www.nypta.org

New York Physical Therapy AssociationA Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association971 Albany Shaker RoadLatham, NY 12110