I hope everyone has enjoyed a fun and relaxing summer so far. While it might seem like autumn is a long way off, it will arrive before we know it. With the change of season comes our Annual Fall Summit. In this edition of the newsletter, I want to highlight this year's conference and all the exciting events we have planned. Honestly, I've never been so excited about one of our events. The University of Lynchburg will host this year's Annual Fall Summit on October 6th and 7th. We are deeply grateful to them for hosting us.    

We have an awesome lineup of courses from well-known presenters, and content for clinicians and students alike. Virginia Simmons will teach a fantastic course on dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. This is the first in a series to become a Certified Dementia Practitioner, should you wish to pursue this specialization. Non-physical therapy professionals who work with this population are strongly encouraged to attend as well! The exhibit hall will be open during breaks and downtime, so make sure you check out all of the posters and platform research presentations.

Our Annual Members Meeting will be held on Friday evening. Join us for a plated meal and learn what APTA Virginia has been up to as well as what our future holds. Following the members meeting, we will kick off our much-anticipated Trivia Night fundraiser, which takes place at the Annual Fall Summit each year. Last year's event was an absolute blast, and this year's event is expected to be even better with prizes! This effort, led by the APTA Virginia Political Action Committee, allows physical therapy professionals to participate in the raising of funds that benefit the APTA Virginia PAC by participating in some eats, drinks, and thinks.

Why is your participation important? Funds raised for the APTA Virginia PAC allow us to educate and help elect the right candidates – those who understand and support the practice of physical therapy and who are committed to a successful economic and regulatory environment for physical therapists and the communities they serve across Virginia. As evidenced by the passing of our Direct Access and Dry Needling legislation, these PAC funds are vital to our advocacy efforts.

This year’s Fall Summit would not be possible without the tireless efforts of Charlene Jensen, PT, DPT; Lee Ann Eagler, PT, DPT; Amanda Avila Miller, PT, DPT; Brian Britt, PT, DPT; Barz Kim, SPT; Emma Wagley, SPT; Megan McIntyre, PT, DPT; Reiko Simmons, PT, DPT; Brandon Smith, PT, DPT; and Chase Edwards, PT, DPT, ATC, MA. They have volunteered countless hours to make this event a success. 

Wishing you a wonderful remainder of your summer and looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Sincerely,

Tony Grillo, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT

APTA Virginia honored Dr. Angelopoulou, Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Emory & Henry College in Marion, with the 2023 John L. "Jack" Echternach Research Award. The prestigious award honors PTs and PTAs who promote and/or encourage research in physical therapy. The types of research to be fostered include, but are not limited to, academic or clinical research.

Dr. Angelopoulou's primary teaching responsibilities include Kinesiology and the Musculoskeletal Series of courses. She has a passion for teaching students about the musculoskeletal system with an emphasis on systems screening and evidence-based practice. Read More…

The APTA Virginia Research Committee is currently accepting abstracts for consideration of live or virtual platform and/or live poster presentations during the 2023 Fall Summit on October 7th, 2023.

All physical therapy professionals nationwide are invited to showcase and share their research findings, best practice training models, tools, or other resources that advance the profession of physical therapy to improve the health of society. The abstract submission period is open through August 20, 2023 (11:59 PM). Read More…

We are happy to share with you the new APTA 2023 State Medicaid Payment Rate Guide. This member-only benefit offers information on the Medicaid fee-for-service payment rates for physical therapist services provided by state Medicaid programs. The guide includes payment rates for selected CPT codes as well as links to the Medicaid manuals for all 51 U.S. jurisdictions. Read More…

Board-certified specialists are making a difference in the lives of patients, living out their dedication to better care, and helping advance the physical therapy profession. Join a prestigious group of over 30,000 of your physical therapist peers who demonstrate competency in specialized knowledge and advanced clinical proficiency.

The 10 specialty areas offered by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties are a recognition of the increasingly vital role physical therapy plays in optimizing movement to improve the human experience. Read More…

During the 2023 General Assembly Session, legislation was passed to amend Va. Code § 54.1-3482 to remove certain timeframes for practitioner referrals for direct access, as well as to clarify the performance of dry needling without referral for qualified practitioners. The legislation includes provisions related to physical therapy services provided without referral or supervision to infants and toddlers with individualized services plans under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1431 et seq.) and to students with disabilities who require physical therapy services pursuant to § 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

These legislative changes became effective July 1, 2023. The full text of these changes can be found here: HB 2359/SB 1005. Please note that the Board has updated the Direct Access Patient Attestation and Medical Release Form to reflect changes in the statutory language. Read More…

As we soak up the last bit of summer and look towards transitioning into this upcoming academic year, fresh classes, and an abundance of new professional opportunities, there is no better time to reintroduce and get well acquainted with who we are and what we do! Please take a minute or two to read through this Q&A, you certainly won’t regret it. Read More…

This course uses the movement system impairment syndromes approach, symptom modification procedure, and principles of motor learning to address the common problem of plantar heel pain syndromes.

Course attendees will leave with a process to enhance and sharpen the clinician’s well-established toolkit, action to provide case level evidence of efficient valuable patient centered care, information that can lead to personalized treatment, and specific movement/functional skill training for plantar heel pain syndrome, which is more effective in the short term and long term than frequently prescribed exercise – faster results, more durable. Learn More…

Early Bird Rate Available July 10 – August 31, 2023
Discount Code: earlybird10%
Limit one discount code per registrant. Cannot be combined with any other promo code.

American Physical Therapy Association
Commercial insurer UnitedHealthcare has reversed course on the most problematic elements of its expanded policies. The payer will not require additional signoffs for PT services.

Evidence in Motion
It’s unavoidable that PTs are treating patients who are also dealing with mental health challenges. It’s a difficult topic that PTs must consider, given that mental health is a growing issue in our country.

WebPT
Clinics can generate revenue through expanded service offerings, particularly recovery services as patients are looking for a more holistic approach to their health and wellness.