Thursday, November 8

Keynote Presenter - Opening General Session, 9:00 am – 10:30 am

Taking it to the Next Level

We’re told to think outside the lines and outside the box. What if the answers are still in the box? People are led to think success and happiness are found outside themselves, instead of within. The right questions are already within your organization. They are within you! When we believe if best is possible, good is not good enough and that none of us can exceed our potential, we just misjudge it, we start to comprehend that we really can take it to the next level, become THE practice of choice, increase productivity and profitability, attract more market share and become more of who we already are!

Dan Clark
Dan is an Internationally Recognized Professional Speaker, CEO of a Multi-Million Dollar Corporation, Athlete, Songwriter/Recording Artist and New York Times Best Selling Author. For over 25 years Dan has inspired millions of people as one of the most in-demand Keynote Speakers in America.

Educational Sessions: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Alternative Niche Markets: Future Practice Opportunities For PTs

Given the declining reimbursements associated with traditional PT services, it may be strategic for physical therapists to diversify their practices to include highly sought after alternative services for which consumers are prepared to pay cash.  Many private practice physical therapists are in an ideal position to add one alternative discipline or onsite full service medical spa type alternative services to their already established patient bases.

Negotiating with Insurance Companies

This session will address the do’s and don’ts of negotiating with insurance companies. Physical therapists, as clinicians, often have no experience or training in negotiating techniques and strategies. The unique area of negotiating with insurance companies is difficult, full of mines, pitfalls and legal issues. This session will offer steps to master the skill of negotiating and lead the PT to be a more formidable force in negotiating in the insurance industry. 

Preparing Your Staff for an All Cash Market

Assess your staff’s readiness to enter an all cash market.  Develop specific strategies to implement successful change in your practice model.  Participants will receive specific tools to assess staff attitudes and abilities and facilitate necessary change for success.

What We Can Learn from Eastman Kodak: Understanding the Market Can Promote Product Flexibility

Physical therapists in private practice are facing enormous business challenges related to payment for services.  Looking at another industry will help to frame the discussion of market forces and offer guidance related to opportunities that currently exist for physical therapists.

Control Your Destiny by Optimizing Autonomous and Direct Access Models of Practice

This seminar will address evolving models and structure of physical therapy private practice, consistent with Vision 2020 and with a future that portends increasing salary demands but static or declining reimbursement. The solution may be in more collegial models which view all physical therapists as full professionals and autonomous practitioners. Attendees will gain insights on how to distinguish their practice via “best practice” policies, by empowering professional staff to think like owners, thus positioning the current owner for eventual practice transition and succession planning.

What’s New in Congress – A Look at Payment Policy Changes Ahead in 2008

In recent years the volatility of the Medicare physician fee schedule has kept physical therapists on edge as Congress debates measures to avert payment cuts. Without Congressional action, physical therapists in private practice will experience a 10% payment cut under the Medicare physician fee schedule on January 1, 2008. This session will look at the current status of legislative and regulatory efforts to enhance payment policy, from the fee schedule to therapy caps, for physical therapists under the Medicare program. In addition, this session will provide an update on emerging issues such as quality reporting, direct access, and other health care reforms that impact PT practice.

Educational Sessions: 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm  

Benchmarking To Improve Your Practice

In this session you will learn the purpose and use of benchmarking, its limitations, and how benchmarking can asssist owners and administrators.  You will review some sample data from the 2007 benchmarking survey. 

Evidence-Based Practice and the PT Expert

This session will discuss the standards PTs must meet for written documentation or verbal testimony to be admitted in a court or administrative proceeding.  The standards for differential diagnosis versus scientific evidence will be discussed under varying tribunal rules.  Therapists will learn how to use evidence-based research and well-written professional opinions to gain credibility in legal proceedings.  Opportunities to assist in resolution of legal controversies (such as worker’s comp disputes, personal injury cases and disability determinations) will be explored.

Reimbursement: Strategies and Solutions

Reimbursement is often the most overlooked aspect of the private practice clinician’s business.  Through a panel of members from the PPS Reimbursement Committee, you will learn about current reimbursement topics and recent successes as they relate to the realities of operating a private practice and being paid a reasonable rate.

Superior Benefits of Integrating Students into Private Practice

The purpose of this educational session is to provide physical therapists and administrators in private practice a practical approach for integrating PT students successfully in private practice. Discussion will focus on:  overcoming typical roadblocks which cause private PTs to avoid integrating students; identifying emerging clinical education models including, fellowships and residencies; and determining benefits to be gained through partnerships with academic programs. 

In-Depth Sessions: 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm  

Creating a Blue Ocean Strategy for Your Practice

Physical Therapy companies have long engaged in head-to-head competition in search of sustained, profitable growth.  They have fought for competitive advantage, battled over market share, and struggled for differentiation. In the book Blue Ocean Strategies, W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne create a paradigm for change using six primary pinciples which we, in the “Rehab World” can use to successfully create our own blue ocean.

Employers Are an Underserved Market: 7 Successful Services They Need

PTs have many skills that can assist employers, but most PTs and employers are not working together for solutions. This session will present seven specific options for PTs to contract directly with employers for revenue producing programs that provide needed services.  A panel of successful practitioners will describe their own business experiences.  The outcome will be a multi-faceted view of a larger target market. 

Evening Discussion Forum: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

The Small Practice Advisor—Evening Discussion Forum

“The Small Practice Advisor” has appeared in Impact and PT Magazine.  A panel of private practitioners to include one from a rural practice, one from a big city practice, and one from a midsize city practice will field your questions in running a private practice.  Between them they have had the opportunity to confront most of the obstacles that are faced by small practices with some successes, some failures and some twists along the way. 

Physical Therapists and the 21st Century Health Care Food Chain: Direct Employer Contracting is the Way Forward

The management of musculoskeletal conditions such as low back pain is fast becoming one of the leading categories of costs for payers, yet physical therapists are a disproportionately small amount of the health care dollar. Branding and clearly differentiating physical therapists as experts in managing high volume conditions such as low back pain where there is good evidence to support the cost effectiveness of physical therapy intervention will be the catalyst that moves us up the food chain. The majority of our efforts are currently directed to third party payers. However, if history is a guide, payers will likely respond by simply taking the cost savings as part of their profit. Join us for a lively discussion about why we should be targeting our efforts instead to employers. We should consider employers as supply chain partners because their interests are directly aligned with ours. They are the most important health care payer in the United States, both thru work-related injuries and their commercially insured businesses that cover employees and their families. Contracting directly with employers offers many opportunities to improve the quality of physical therapy care and the reimbursement environment. We will profile case studies from the

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Health Plan and Fit For Work, an occupational health company who contracts directly with employers to provide work-related services traditionally billed under Workers’ Compensation. If you want to see the future of private practice and how you can engage your private practice in the direct employer contracting business, don’t miss this discussion!

Friday, November 9 

Featured Member Breakfast Presentation: 7:30 am – 9:00 am

Referral for Profit: Considerations for the Future

For many years, APTA has opposed referral-for-profit (RFP) and physician ownership of physical therapy services. APTA takes the position that such arrangements pose an inherent conflict of interest impeding both the autonomous practice of physical therapy and the fiduciary relationship between the therapist and the patient. In this presentation, the importance of physical therapist control and ownership of all aspects of practice will be discussed. The impact of physician ownership on the evolution of physical therapy profession and on the future of the health care delivery will be explored.

Educational Sessions: 10:45 am – 12:15 pm

Practice Diversification Opportunities in Senior Extended Living Facilities and the Senior Community

As practice owners explore the opportunity to extend physical therapy services into the community, PTs have initiated collaboration and training of community partners who conduct screening events in senior living facilities.  PTs then continue to serve as resources for seniors in those communities.  Not only do these models provide a vital community service, but also they offer private practices valuable marketing exposure.  Come here more about this successful program developed by the MN Chapter, APTA, through a grant from the MN Board on Aging. 

How to Become Physicians' Preferred Neuromusculoskeletal Practitioner

There has been a recent trend for physicians to employ the use of alternative practitioners to serve their patients’ neuromusculoskeletal needs.  Similarly, more insurance companies are also providing benefits for the provision of neuromusculoskeletal care provided by alternative practitioners. In light of this growing trend, private practice PTs must understand physicians' referral perspectives and incorporate proven methods to educate physicians about the PT’s unique expertise within the realm of neuromusculoskeletal care in their day-to-day interactions.

A True Quality Care Culture

Understand the true impact of “Quality Care” on your practice from the administration/operations viewpoint This session will address the meaning of “Quality Care” from intake to final patient billing statement.  Guidelines and suggestions will be offered to improve the manner in which patients are treated by every staff member from Front Desk to Accounts Receivable Department.

Marketing to Women—What Works Best

In this session, participants will learn at least 3 reasons why women are a target audience for health care services and discuss practical suggestions for marketing specifically to women.  Participants will receive practical advice on what makes a brochure or flier have impact on its target audience.

Interest Based Negotiating - Getting Beyond Roadblocks and Getting Results in High Energy Situations

This session will provide an approach to getting past 'no' or obstacles in any negotiation process - with an insurer, employee, the bank, etc. Learn how to get an insurer to be interested in meeting with you. Learn how to work toward a true win-win solution when emotions are involved.  Learn the difference between position-based negotiating and interest-based negotiating and why interest-based is much more effective. Walk away with a skill set and process taking the fear out of resolving issues.

Clinical Research: Revenue through Research or Practice Liability

Evidence-based-Practice and Autonomous Practice are key to the APTA strategic plan and Vision 2020. Autonomous practice imposes increased responsibilities on the practicing physical therapist.  Learn how this impacts your business and your therapists.  Learn importance of clinical research to decrease liability when included in your Informed Consent and Data Management, Risk Management Strategic Plans and policies/procedures documents.

Educational Sessions: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Using Professional Behaviors to Facilitate Business Success: Knowledge and Skills are Not Enough!

In addition to Cognitive Knowledge and Psychomotor Skills, success requires mastering a "Repertoire of Behaviors" (Core Abilities).  This session will focus on the development of professional behaviors required for successful autonomous practice.  Participants will explore and learn how to use the six elements of The Facilitation Process to facilitate the development of expected behaviors.  In addition, the role of mentoring, role modeling, counseling, guiding, and coaching to enhance staff growth and development will be discussed as they relate to the Process.

Better Business Negotiations Through Understanding Anti-Kickback and Stark Law Compliance

OIG Special Fraud Alerts, advisory opinions, and court interpretations have recently further defined actions that may constitute violations of the Anti-kickback and Stark laws.  Contract services and non-monetary referral incentives have come under scrutiny.  Private practitioners who understand these laws can effectively use them to maintain their autonomy in business negotiations.  Learn what you know or don’t about current statutes and how to avoid marketing practices and contract provisions that could violate these laws.

Market Your Practice and Practice What You Prescribe

This session will focus on the physical therapist’s leadership role in forming partnerships with policy makers and stake holders within the community, to provide more time for physical activity and health instruction for school age children as promoted through Health People 2010.  You will learn marketing and branding ideas for the PT while networking with physical educators, school administrators, and community advocates. Action plans, checklists, case studies, assessment information and going from paper to practice will be the focus of this “change event,” with a focus on “marketing your practice.”

HR Issues for Small Business

How do your state's wage and hour laws and regulations differ from the federal? What about anti-discrimination provisions?  What employment-related paperwork must you retain and for how long? What are your responsibilities for providing  time off from work for disability, medical, family, and other leave?  Join this interactive program for an overview of some of the key federal and state employment laws, cases and regulations that you should know to proactively manage your human resources. Take home an “HR Audit Checklist” to help you begin taking proactive measures to reduce liability for managing your private practice.

Partnering Your Physical Therapy Practice with a Running Specialty Store

This session will focus on identifying and understanding the benefits of associating your clinical practice with your running specialty store. Highlights will include a discussion of related injury management for the runner,  appropriate running shoe and equipment selection for your patient,  identification of available resources that can benefit both your facility and the running store  specific marketing and ethical issues. The private practioner that knows how to effectively interact with their local community will have a competitive edge.

Differential Diagnosis for Your Business:  A Systematic Approach Adapted from E-Myth Physician

Develop the same confidence in financially analysis that you have in diagnosing your patients?  Based on the financial concepts presented in E-Myth Physician, the systems within your business can be summarized as Profit, Income, Equity, and Cash Flow.  Use the data from these practice management reports to “diagnose” which are the “impaired” systems challenging the progress towards your business goals.  With adequate diagnoses, you will be able to focus your energy on the correct business strategies to achieve you business goals.  This presentation will provide practical business strategies to address the impairments facing your business.

Saturday, November 10

3hr Intensive Double Sessions: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

Managing and Meeting Customer Expectations: Grow Your Practice By Delivering Exceptional Service Quality

Providing exceptional customer service can give you the competitive edge in a brutally competitive health care marketplace. Hospitals, POPTS and corporate providers may have deeper pockets and an advantage when it comes to referrals but with consumers making more healthcare buying decisions, private practices can prevail by providing exceptional service! The key is managing and meeting expectations. Service quality is “the something” that all physical therapy private practice owners and managers should continuously assess and improve.

Physical Therapists as Exercise Experts with the Aging Population

This 3 hour session will provide PTs with knowledge and skills of the slippery slope of aging and why private practice physical therapists are suited to intervene at the highest level to achieve optimal results.  In this program, developed by the Section on Geriatrics for PTs,  the physical therapist will know the value of evidence-based exercise prescription that sets us apart from others providing consumer exercise programs. Principles of examination, overload, and specificity will be detailed. Application of these principles and practices to enhance clinical practice will be discussed.

Essential Informatics for Private Practice Physical Therapists

Faced with increasing demands to manage an expanding amount of health information and the expectations of delivering care that is both effective and efficient, physical therapists in private practice are acutely aware of the shortcomings of our current paper-based information infrastructure. This session highlights the most essential aspects of clinical informatics, an emerging field focused on overcoming these challenges by improving healthcare with information technology. We will discuss the forces driving adoption of information technology and the types of problems in clinical practice and delivery that information technology can help address. We will review the evidence for systems that help clinicians and managers by “making it easy to do it right” and examine a case study of a well-studied, operational clinical system. The session will conclude with practical recommendations for physical therapists in private practice and an interactive discussion of strategies for success.