Costs of direct access of PT vs MD

May 26, 2011

Chiros produced a study last year that shows they are 20-40% less than MDs if

they are first contact of the patient. (20% when counting the patients costs.)

Anyone know a health economist who wants to look at where direct access PT would

fall in this cost senario? This would be a great study for our profession!

Study:

Liliedahl, R, Finch, M, Axene, D, Goertz, C. Cost of Care for Common Back Pain

Conditions Initiated With Chiropractic Doctor vs Medical Doctor/Doctor of

Osteopathy as First Physician: Experience of One Tennessee- Based General Health

Insurer. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapuetics 2010; 33: 9:

640-643.

Thanks,

Schweitzer, DPT

Florida

Subject: RE: Iontophoresis

To: " 'PTManager ' " <PTManager >

Date: Monday, May 23, 2011, 1:44 PM

Hi ,

Good question. I would also like to add to this: Are clinics requiring patients

to get their own prescription or does the clinic stock the medication? ( we

mostly use dexamethasone and require the patient to get their own prescription).

We have tried, unsuccessfully, to find out by our state PT board if we can keep

the medication in the clinic name and provide it for patients when we have a

prescription for ionto. I was of the understanding that iontophoresis was not

covered by insurance. We ask the patient to purchase the electrodes each visit

and do not charge for the visit.

Lori Libolt, OTR/L,CHT

ReBound Physical, Occupational, and Hand Therapies

805 Orchard Drive Suite2

Bellingham, WA 98264

360 752-1575

From: PTManager [mailto:PTManager ] On Behalf Of

Thagard

Sent: Monday, May 23, 2011 7:08 AM

To: PTManager

Subject: Iontophoresis

What is everyone using for Iontophoresis these days... Are you doing Ionto in

the clinic ? Is the patient using patches at home? If so, how are you supplying

them?

I was told by a consultant that Medicare is only paying for 2 iontophoresis

visits in the clinic because of the widespread use of the patches at home.

Thagard

Director, Rehabilitation

Sampson Regional Medical Center

405 Beaman St

Clinton, NC 28328

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended

solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If

you are not the intended recipient you are notified that disclosing, copying,

distributing, or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this

information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error

please notify the sender and delete the email. Please note that any views or

opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not

necessarily represent those of Sampson Regional Medical Center. Finally, the

recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of

viruses. Sampson Regional Medical Center accepts no liability for any damage

caused by any virus transmitted by this email. If you have further questions or

issues, you may contact Sampson Regional Medical Center at .

May 29, 2011

Ok....I have really enjoyed this thread, but what is the plan? Where do we go

from here? Who do we talk to and who do we get to actually make a change?

Sent from my iPhone

On May 29, 2011, at 12:53 PM, " s " ac

wrote:

>

> Good morning , don't know if you have seen this yet, it was out a few

years back, a study conducted at Virginia Mason in Washington state, looked at

the (not so surprising to us but very surprising to them) reduction in costs to

the insurance provider when a patient checking in to the hospital for back pain

saw the PT FIRST! What was also very interesting is that, although the insurance

company loved it (Aetna), the hospital disliked it because, as a whole, they

lost money! The positive aspect for the PT world is that the insurance company

and the hospital then negotiated to INCREASE reimbursement for PT to cover some

of the hospitals losses secondary to the reduction in MRI and other specialized

services. It would be interesting to see if any of this led to increased

salaries for the PT's on staff but that is another issue. Have a great weekend!

>

> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116857143155174786.html?mod=hps_us_pageone

>

> >

> > Subject: RE: Iontophoresis

> > To: " 'PTManager ' " <PTManager >

> > Date: Monday, May 23, 2011, 1:44 PM

> >

> > Hi ,

> > Good question. I would also like to add to this: Are clinics requiring

patients to get their own prescription or does the clinic stock the medication?

( we mostly use dexamethasone and require the patient to get their own

prescription). We have tried, unsuccessfully, to find out by our state PT board

if we can keep the medication in the clinic name and provide it for patients

when we have a prescription for ionto. I was of the understanding that

iontophoresis was not covered by insurance. We ask the patient to purchase the

electrodes each visit and do not charge for the visit.

> >

> > Lori Libolt, OTR/L,CHT

> > ReBound Physical, Occupational, and Hand Therapies

> > 805 Orchard Drive Suite2

> > Bellingham, WA 98264

> > 360 752-1575

> > From: PTManager [mailto:PTManager ] On Behalf

Of Thagard

> > Sent: Monday, May 23, 2011 7:08 AM

> > To: PTManager

> > Subject: Iontophoresis

> >

> > What is everyone using for Iontophoresis these days... Are you doing Ionto

in the clinic ? Is the patient using patches at home? If so, how are you

supplying them?

> > I was told by a consultant that Medicare is only paying for 2 iontophoresis

visits in the clinic because of the widespread use of the patches at home.

> >

> > Thagard

> > Director, Rehabilitation

> > Sampson Regional Medical Center

> > 405 Beaman St

> > Clinton, NC 28328

> >

> > This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended