Physical Therapy Continuing Education

Number of CEUs: 0.3 CEUs

Price: $60

Course Instructor(s):

Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, CEEAA, CHC
Rehab Resources & Consulting, Inc.

Ellen received her Masters in Physical Therapy from UAB, and earned her APTA Board Certification in Geriatric Physical Therapy in 1999. She has been a practicing physical therapist for over 20 years, working in the hospital, skilled nursing, home health, outpatient and cardiac rehab settings.  She has held various roles including clinician, manager and Director over multiple programs. Presently, Ellen is owner of Rehab Resources and Consulting, Inc., a company providing continuing education and consulting services for post-acute care settings.  Ellen is a member of the APTA, where she has served on Payment Policy Strategy Committees advising the APTA Board of Directors on payment policy in all settings. She serves on a state level as the Chair of the Practice and Reimbursement Committee for the Alabama Physical Therapy Association.  In 2009, Ellen became a Certified Expert in Exercise for the Aging Adult, a certification course sponsored by the APTA's Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy.  In 2015, Ellen became Certified in Healthcare Compliance through the HealthCare Compliance Association.

Date & Time: Tuesday, August 29, 2023 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Course Delivery Method: The speaker will deliver the course in real time via Zoom. Participants are welcome to join the course by Zoom or in-person with other clinicians and students on the USA campus in an auditorium with a large screen. There will be a time for in-person networking before the course and during breaks.

Location: University of South Alabama HAHN #1013 Nursing Auditorium or by Zoom

Course Description: The payer regulations and guidelines for therapy services are complex and always changing.  Moreover, understanding how payment requirements differ from practice requirements, and how both differ across practice settings, is important to maintaining your professional integrity.

This course will assist the participant in navigating and applying the rules and regulations. The key components of documentation will be presented along with examples of how to incorporate them into daily documentation.  The participant will also learn about recent changes affecting therapists in all settings:  the future of telehealth, potential threats to payment for outpatient therapy settings, updates on the Patient Driven Payment Model and the Patient Driven Group Model for skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies, respectively, and how value-based care continues to influence healthcare practices. 

Learner-based objectives:

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Effectively document the delivery of medically necessary, skilled rehab services in all therapy settings: hospital, home health, skilled nursing facility and outpatient clinics.
2. Understand the most current documentation regulations and how to implement them in daily practice.
3. Discuss the most recent changes to therapy services payment and how business practices might be impacted.
4. Discuss the most recent policy & payment landscape, including telehealth.
   Intended audience:  PTs, PTAs, OTs, COTAs, SLPs, office managers

Prerequisite course: none

Special Attire: No special attire is required

Specified Equipment/books: None

Number of CEUs: 0.3 CEUs

Price: $60

Course Instructor(s):

• Blair Saale, PT, DPT, NCS, is an assistant professor in the DPT program at the University of South Alabama. Blair received her DPT degree from Belmont University and she is an ABPTS certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist. In addition to teaching in the clinical skills, pathophysiology, neuroscience, and neurology curriculum, she has experience in acute, inpatient, and outpatient neurorehabilitation. She is also a Parkinson’s Foundation PT Faculty Scholar.
• Tara Andrews, PT, DPT, NCS, is an assistant professor in the DPT program at the University of South Alabama. Tara received her DPT degree from the University of South Alabama. She is an ABPTS certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist and has clinical experience in acute, inpatient rehab, and outpatient physical therapy with a special interest in vestibular and neurologic physical therapy. She currently teaches in the clinical skills, kinesiology, movement analysis, and neurology curriculum.

Date & Time: Thursday, September 7th  5:45 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.

Course Delivery Method: In-person

Location: University of South Alabama Department of Physical Therapy. Room: HAHN 2048

Course Description: This introductory-level course, based on the 2020 Concussion Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) from the APTA Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy, is designed to help familiarize the clinician in evidence based examination and treatment options for concussion. The course will include an up-to-date review of examination and intervention strategies to address concussion based on the clinical practice guidelines for concussion.

Learner-based objectives:

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Describe symptoms, impairments, and limitations that can result post concussion.
2. Describe current evidence related to screening process for determining appropriateness of a physical therapy examination post concussive event.
3. Explain components of a comprehensive examination post concussive event
   Choose appropriate multifaceted treatment options for individuals with concussion

Course Schedule:

5:45 p.m. - Opening remarks; Course objectives
6:00 p.m. - Examination strategies and techniques for concussion patients
6:45 p.m. - Treatment strategies for concussion patients
7:45 p.m. - Hands-on lab activities for concussion patients
8:45 p.m. - Closing remarks

Course Open to:  PT, PTA, OT, OTA

Prerequisite course: None

Special Attire: No special attire is required

Specified Equipment/books: None

Maximum Registration: 30 

Number of CEUs: 0.2 CEUs

Price: $40

Course Instructor: 

Preston Warren, DPT, MD, is an assistant professor in the DPT program at the University of South Alabama. He earned his DPT from the University of South Alabama in 2010 and his MD from the University of South Alabama in 2016. He has clinical experience in acute care, skilled nursing, and outpatient physical therapy.

Date & Time: Tuesday, September 12, 2023; 5:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.

Course Delivery Method: In-person

Location: University of South Alabama Department of Physical Therapy. Room: HAHN 2048

Course Description: Per the CDC, about 37.3 million people, or 11.3 percent of the U.S. population, had diabetes mellitus in 2019. This course will discuss the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus, its risk factors, screening for diabetes mellitus as well as its potential complications, and other physical therapy implications warranting consideration.

Learner-based objectives:

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus to a client.
2. List at least five risk factors for diabetes mellitus.
3. Describe screening measures a physical therapist should employ when assessing clients with diabetes mellitus.
4. Describe considerations when designing an exercise program for clients with diabetes mellitus.

Course Schedule:

5:45 p.m. Opening remarks, course objectives
6:00 p.m. Diabetes mellitus statistics
6:15 p.m. Pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus
6:30 p.m. Diabetes mellitus risk factors and screening measures
7:15 p.m. Plan of care considerations
7:45 p.m. Closing remarks

Course Open to: PT, PTA

Prerequisite course: None

Special Attire: Casual attire

Specified Equipment/books: None

Maximum Registration: 40

Number of CEUs: 0.3 CEUs

Price: $60

Course Instructors:

• Matt Matlock, PT, DPT is a Regional Director of Clinical Services with Restore Therapy.  While he is new to this role, he has been with Restore in a host of capacities since 2015, working both in the skilled nursing (SNF) and outpatient settings.  His primary clinical interest is the delivery of care to older adults and those living with dementia.  He holds certifications as both a coach and trainer through Teepa Snow’s organization, Positive Approach to Care (PAC®). 
• Laura White, PT, DScPT is an assistant professor in the USA Department of Physical Therapy and a board-certified geriatric clinical specialist. Laura is passionate about improving the health and quality of life of older adults primarily through teaching current and future physical therapist clinicians to love their work, think critically, and care compassionately for this amazing generation of older adults.  Laura's research, teaching, and clinical interests are primarily in 1) the prevention and rehabilitation of mobility limitations in older adults with cognitive impairment and 2) PT dementia workforce development and training.  As both a clinician and the USA DPT Director of Clinical Education for many years, Laura values the academic-clinical partnership and seeks to strengthen that partnership through scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching and learning to benefit patients/clients, students, and clinical partners.

Date & Time: Tuesday, September 19, 2023; 5:45 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.

Course Delivery Method: In-person

Location: University of South Alabama Department of Physical Therapy. Room: HAHN 2048

Course Description: In 2020, approximately 96,000 older adults in ALABAMA had Alzheimer’s dementia, with an expected increase of 14.6% by 2025.  Physical, occupational, and speech language pathologists who work with older adults in any setting likely provide services to older adults with dementia or pre-dementia syndromes. This course will provide therapists/assistants with foundational dementia knowledge and skills to individualize their care based on an individual patient’s/client’s clinical presentation and needs.  Emphasis will be on identifying common cognitive, motor, and functional signs/symptoms based on the underlying causes of dementia and addressing communication and behavioral changes. The course delivery format will include short lectures, case study discussions, and experiential activities.

Learner-based objectives:

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Make clinical decisions that reflect the different clinical presentations of common brain pathologies that lead to dementia.
2. Apply to clinical practice the paradigm shift of viewing “behaviors” as expressions of unmet needs as a result of cognitive or communicative changes associated with dementia.
3. Implement strategies to best interact with and meet the needs of individuals living with dementia.

Course Schedule:

5:45 p.m. Why YOU are needed: The current state of healthcare for individuals living with dementia
6:00 p.m. Are all “dementias” the same? Using knowledge of underlying pathologies to guide clinical decisions
7:00 p.m. Break
7:15 p.m. What is a behavior? Understanding the presentations that we observe with our patients/clients and what OUR role is in meeting their needs. 
7:45 p.m. How do I change? Focusing on strategies of physical approach and communication to enhance.
8:45 p.m. Course concludes                                            

Course Open to:  PT, PTA, OT, OTA, SLP

Content Level: Introductory

Special Attire: No special attire is required. Dress comfortably for experiential activities.

Specified Equipment/books: None

Maximum Registration: 30

Number of CEUs: 0.2 CEUs

Price: $40

Course Instructor: 

Shawn Drake, PT, PhD, is the Chair and Professor in the DPT program at the University of South Alabama. Shawn received her MPT degree from Arkansas State University in 2004 and her Doctor of Philosophy in Exercise Physiology from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2002. She is certified as a Schroth physical therapist through the Barcelona School of Physical Therapy. In addition to teaching in the DPT curriculum, she coaches swimming with the City of Mobile Swim Association.

Date & Time: Thursday, September 21st; 5:45 - 7:45

Course Delivery Method: In-person

Location: University of South Alabama Department of Physical Therapy. Room: HAHN 2048

Course Schedule: 

5:45 p.m. Opening remarks, Course objectives
6:00 p.m. Application of imaging for common lumbar pathologies
7:30 p.m. Closing Remarks

Course Open to: PT, PTA, OT, OTA, RN, ATC

Prerequisite course: None

Special Attire: Casual attire

Specified Equipment/books: None

Maximum Registration: 40