Critical observations of health, science, and the physical therapy profession.
What has gotten into the New England Journal of Medicine? In the same issue they report on cats that can predict impending death and the very popular spread of obesity through a dense social network.
Someone better check out the editorial board and make sure they’re alright. I loved these articles, by the way!
Labels: public health, Research
The Cochrane Collaboration, known for their advances and database of knowledge in the field of Evidence-based practice, has gone green. They have assembled an entertainingly useful collection of on-line collaborative resources.
Enjoy, and schedule your next meeting on-line.
Labels: environment, Evidence and Technology
The very popular Science Blogs network had a surgeon check in with those very words included in his commentary of a very recent ruling in NJ that limited the scope of chiropractors. I often find that good surgeons are often physical therapy’s greatest fans. I’m glad for the positive press, although sad for that woman’s knee!
Alternatively, the NJ APTA may need some help soon. Included in this same article is information that the chiropractic association is in the midst of some intense lobbying to have their practice act altered during the next legislative session. I would think with a court ruling behind them, the NJAPTA’s task might have just gotten a little easier. Either way, any NJ readers out there: Join Up!
Finally, I must point out that not all of the chiropractors in New Jersey must have heard about the AAOMPT’s slogan of, "You’ve got drugs, you’ve got surgery, or you’ve got us." A chiropractor quoted in one of the above articles seems to have left something out:
"…patients who once were helped by less costly chiropractic treatmentshave no choice but to turn to more costly injections and surgeries."
Labels: PT Publicity Project
Dilemma:
an argument presenting two or more equally conclusive alternatives against an opponent.
As regular readers of this blog well know, I am often critical about the Physical Therapy Profession’s marketing efforts, namely that of the APTA. I recently authored a post entitled, “What should we do with this window?” which sparked a heated debate among Evidence in Motion readers.
The debate centered around two camps trying to resolve a question of marketing return on investment and a scope of practice. One group felt that it is our right and duty to advertise our scope of practice, and if we are able to provide bike fitting advice for example, then we should. The other group felt that we should focus marketing dollars in the area which has the greatest potential to steer consumers our way. I suggest reading through the conversation to get the full picture of the debate. Also check out, Rob Wainner’s most recent post, “Market this.”
Today, I want to look at another marketing dilemma within the profession. The fact that the majority of outpatient Physical Therapy consumers are a result of physician referrals. Aligning with the medical community has long helped Physical Therapy to grow and achieve the position we now cling to in the health care marketplace. But, there is a down side.
When a Physical Therapy practice markets its services, it would do well to market mostly to its physician referral sources, as they are the gatekeeper for their services. However, this marketing can be costly and narrow in scope. Look into https://ful.io/ site who are not only offering the best deals on marketing tools and services but is also well recognized for the work that they do in this field. Too often I hear of PT’s subscribing the the “Drug Rep Lunch” concept, or spending $$ to take doctors out for dinner. Physicians’ attention to marketing is a highly competitive venture, and Physical Therapists always stand to lose for the simple fact that we are not backed by billion dollar pharmaceutical companies and the drug rep lunches will always be nicer than ours.
When too much of this time is spent marketing to physicians for fear that marketing elsewhere will not yield a positive return on investment, the ability to educate consumers about the Physical Therapy product is harmed. I can drive around all day in my region listening to the radio, looking at billboards, and buying up newspapers. I’m likely to only see a couple ads targeting consumers from outpatient rehab providers.
Here is the dilemma: I have trouble arguing that a private Physical Therapist should spend more $$ marketing to the consumer. It simply is true, that every dollar spent on a physician has the potential to yield many more customers when compared to $$ spent on consumers. Even if the marketing was of sound quality, when a patient is steered by their physician towards a different therapy provider, that money is lost and the competition stands to benefit from your efforts.
So, what is the solution? Should Physical Therapists altruistically and futilely spend $$ on consumer marketing? Can the APTA reform their marketing into something more effective, perhaps with a focus of immediacy for the consumer rather that a prevention perspective? Or, is a wholly new strategy required of our profession? New strategy you say?
Let’s imagine and debate the concept of a separate, non-profit business entity, whose sole purpose is to raise cash, and market the profession to the consumer:
The PT Publicity Project.
If we cannot individually market to consumers effectively, perhaps our collective efforts could yield a greater gain for all. Instead of one practice reaping benefits, we all do!
Labels: physical therapy, PT Publicity Project
"Hoop Dreams- Physical Therapist … turns the hula hoop into fitness fun!" was the tag line of this news scoop I came across.
Even though this reminded me very much of a recent APTA marketing effort on the subject of gardening, rest assured this is a completely independent marketing venture.
For anyone who’s interested and lives near Washington Square Park in NYC, you can learn hula hoop from this recent NYU Graduate.
Which begs the question: Perhaps you do need a degree to teach hula hoop? Maybe that’s why I’m no good at it!
Labels: physical therapy, PT Publicity Project
How bad is bed rest for your back?
So bad that it can make a healthy back go bad! Yet surprisingly, many general practitioners, and even the APTA’s own website prescribe exactly this for an onset of low back pain.
The study I’m linking to had healthy subjects spend weeks in bed. After only 14 days, these otherwise healthy people had serious muscle deficiencies consistent with what is seen with back pain. Keep those backs moving!
Labels: back pain, physical therapy
An entertaining article in Slate magazine by Emily Yoffe, describes her experiences as a "standardized patient" for a group of Georgetown medical students conducting their first physical exam. Yoffe is well known for immersing herself into the issues she is covering, having previously entered the Mrs. America pageant as part of her coverage of the event. This time, she may have been in for a little more than she expected:
"Then he stood in front of me, looked at my gown like a colonel contemplating an incursion, and struck. He peeled off the top of the gown, dropping it into my lap, slipped the bra off my shoulder, and left me hanging while he protractedly listened to my heart."
This story is good comedy and speaks to both patients, and anyone who has ever had to learn how to perform a physical exam.
Labels: misc.