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President’s Message
(April 8, 2020)
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(April 8, 2020)

President’s Message
(April 8, 2020)

Dear Members:

Over the past week, I have really appreciated the continued communication from many of you with your questions and concerns as we are trying to find our way with the changing demands that are occurring within the profession of physical therapy. I know that some of you are being asked to take on different responsibilities than you normally do and have questions about whether it is within the scope of your license. This document from the Federation of State Board of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) is a helpful reminder of what is within the scope of our education and license.

Many of you attended last Thursday’s webinar, Telehealth Opportunities: Day-to-Day and in Response to the COVID-19 Crisis, given by Mark Milligan, PT, DPT and Lynn Steffes, PT, DPT. If you did not have the opportunity to attend, click HERE for the recording and click HERE for the handout. We are so thankful to Mark and Lynn for jumping in and being willing to give us guidance in an area of practice that is new to many.

As Mark mentioned in his presentation last week, it is not enough to set yourself up to provide telemedicine, but you need to share with others that you are now ‘open for telemedicine business’. I have been asked several times if I know who is providing telemedicine and perhaps you have also received this question. For this reason, we have established a Form where those who are currently providing, or plan to provide telemedicine in the near future, can share their information. We will post the updated list of providers each week on the APTA Indiana website.

Also, do not forget to visit the APTA Indiana COVID-19 page for resources on billing for telemedicine, providing telemedicine, educational offerings/webinars, as well as unemployment and practice information. The link to this page is under the upper horizontal bar on our home page.

Last week, I shared my disappointment with you that Governor Holcomb did not include physical therapist assistants in EO 20-13 when he stated that physical therapists can provide telemedicine. In working with the Indiana Occupational Therapy Association, we have communicated this concern to the Governor. If we do not receive a response by the end of this week, we will be encouraging you all, to again, have your voices heard. We will share details on how you can reach out to your Senators, Representatives and Governor Holcomb.

The APTA Indiana Spring Meeting and strategic planning session scheduled for Saturday, May 9, has been modified, as is the case with so many events! Please see below for details:

  • 9:00 – 11:00 am: Virtual Board Meeting
  • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Breakout Sessions with Committees, District Leadership, Delegation
  • 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Virtual Town Hall – An Interactive Discussion Between Leadership and Members

Members are invited to attend the Board Meeting as guests and learn about the different moving parts of APTA Indiana. As the agendas for the Breakout Sessions and the Virtual Town Hall are developed, they will be posted to the Spring Meeting Event on the APTA Indiana website. Members will be asked to register in advance so we can send the appropriate Zoom links/call-in information prior to the event. Registration information will be available soon.

What are you doing on Saturday, May 2? The in-person course that was scheduled for May 2-3 has been reformatted to allow for continued learning in a time of social distancing. Using the Biopsychosocial Model to Meet the Challenges of Persistent Pain: An interactive Online Webinar will provide you with 7.5 hours of approved continuing education credit. All of the proceeds from the webinar will benefit the APTA Indiana PAC.

Thank you for all the work that so many of you are doing on the front lines right now, whether in your normal position or where you are stepping up to fulfill another role. As we move forward from this point in history, it will be clear the role we have each played as part of the healthcare team, impacting the lives of thousands affected by COVID-19.

 

Emily

Emily Slaven, PT, PhD, Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy
President, APTA Indiana

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