Minnesota Chapter APTA

Minnesota Chapter APTA

Phone: 651-635-0902

E-mail: info@mnapta.org

Soundwaves

January-February 2008

Volume XXVIII, Issue 1

This issue of Soundwaves is available online at the MN APTA Soundwaves Archive.

Quick Links

-- Upcoming MN APTA Meetings & Events

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-- MN APTA Partners

-- Contact MN APTA

In This Issue of Soundwaves

Volunteers and members from the 2007 Bear Tracks workgroup pose for a picture after the successful event. Front Row: (left to right) Katie Griffith, PT; Kristine Greer, PT. Back Row: Brian Weber, PT; Rachel Katskee, PTA; Amanda Gregory, PT; Jenny Rixen, PT; Debbie Lensing, PT; Molly Schultz, SPT; Paul Vigen, PT

-- Federal Government Affairs Update By Eva Norman, PT

-- PTA Licensure Application Available on MN BPT Website By Julie McDonald, PTA

-- Record Number of Runners and Walkers Participate in 2007 Bear Tracks by Kristine Greer, PT

-- MN APTA Holds Successful Student Conclave By McHaley Haeflinger, SPT

-- State Legislative Issues Update By Kathleen Picard, PT

-- MN APTA Legislative Day: March 4, 2008

-- Call for Posters: 2008 MN APTA Spring Conference

-- Evidence in Action: Ankylosing Spondylitis

-- Marilyn Woods Benefit

-- Upcoming MN APTA Course: Geriatric Strength Building

MN APTA Updates

-- From the President: Keeping the Fire Within by Joan Purrington, PT

-- From the Executive Director: Who ‘May’ vs. Who ‘Should’ Provide Physical Therapy? by Judy Hawley, PT

-- Pats on the Back

-- MN APTA Members in the News

-- MN APTA Members Published

Classified & CE Ads

-- MN APTA Partners

-- Classified Ads

Federal Government Affairs Update

By Eva Norman, PT, MN APTA Federal Government Affairs Committee Chair, MN APTA Grassroots Coordinator

APTA Member Since 1994

Senator Coleman (top, center) and Senator Klobuchar (bottom, center) each became co-sponsors of the Senate versions of the Bill to Repeal the Therapy Cap in December of 2007.

Now that we have celebrated the New Year, it seems like a good time to reflect on what MN APTA members accomplished this past year and begin to look to the future.

We began 2007 with four new members of Congress, one new Senator and three new House of Representatives. We had our work cut out for us, but we started early to develop and build relationships with the entire Minnesota delegation.

In May, twelve physical therapists and two physical therapist students attended the 2007 APTA Advocacy Academy in Washington, DC with the financial help of MN APTA and an APTA scholarship. We met with every Minnesota member of Congress, either personally or with their staff, and had an overwhelming amount of support.

To secure our efforts, federal key contacts, along with other members of MN APTA, attended several statewide town hall meetings and fund raisers, participated in campaigns, and met with several members of Congress at their local offices throughout the year.

We were successful! At the end of the year, all eight Minnesota members of Congress co-sponsored legislation to repeal the Medicare Part B therapy cap; five members of Congress co-sponsored the bill that would allow Medicare Part B beneficiaries direct access to physical therapy services without a physician requirement or certification of the plan of care; and six members of Congress co-sponsored legislation to allow physical therapists to participate in the National Health Services Corps Student Loan Repayment Program. What remarkable accomplishments! Kudos to you all!

We now need to prepare for our new year. We are always looking for new federal key contacts. The Federal Key Contact Workgroup met for the first time on January 19. Consider attending future meetings if you are already a federal key contact or are interested in becoming one.

The 2008 APTA Federal Advocacy Forum will be March 30 – April 1 in Washington DC. This forum is a wonderful way to get updates on issues impacting the profession and our patients, learn advocacy techniques, listen to Congressional speakers, and visit with members of Congress on Capitol Hill. You will not regret the experience of attending this forum. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

I’m looking forward to more successes this year. Thank you to all who contributed to 2007 federal legislative efforts! Our profession and your patients are eternally grateful!

Minnesota’s Congressional Friends of Physical Therapy

Congressional District	Member of Congress * New to Congress in 2007	S.932 / HR 1552 Direct Access	S.450 / HR 748 Repeal the Cap	HR 1134 Participation of PTs in Nat’l Health Services Corps Student Loan Repayment Prog.
n/a	* U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar		X
n/a	U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman		X
District 1	* U.S. Rep. Tim Walz		X
District 2	U.S. Rep. John Kline
District 3	U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad	X	X	X
District 4	U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum	X	X	X
District 5	* U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison	X	X	X
District 6	* U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann			X
District 7	U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson	X	X	X
District 8	U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar	X	X	X

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PTA Licensure Application Available on MN BPT Website

By Julie McDonald, PTA, MN APTA PTA SIG Chair

APTA Member Since 1999

This is a very exciting year for all PTAs in the state of Minnesota. As you know, Governor Pawlenty signed PTA licensure into law this past year. A PTA licensure application packet is available under the Licensure portion of the Minnesota Board of Physical Therapy website, which consists of the PTA Application Form, PTA Instructions, and MN PT Practice Act.

The Minnesota Board of PT has provided a document with general PTA licensure information (‘PTA Instructions’), to help PTAs with the licensure process. There is a one-time application fee of $100 and an annual licensing fee of $60. Be sure to read everything carefully in order to provide the Minnesota Board of PT with everything needed to process your application. Please also be aware of the dates that licensure takes effect: ALL PTAs IN MINNESOTA MUST BE LICENSED BY JULY 1, 2008. There are no exceptions to this rule, and the application process takes time—start now! Waiting until the month before will be too late to start your application.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

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Record Number of Runners and Walkers Participate in 2007 Bear Tracks

By Kristine Greer, PT, Bear Tracks Workgroup Chair

APTA Member Since 2002

On November 3, 2007, MN APTA hosted the 8^th annual Bear Tracks 5K/10K Run/Walk in White Bear Lake. With the addition of the first annual 10K run, we had a record number of participants (290) bringing in the largest revenue to date ($4,300)! In previous years we averaged approximately $2,500.

This was a wonderful opportunity to do community outreach and let people know who we are and what physical therapists do! Debbie Lensing, PT, Sara Koep, PT, and Brian Weber, PT, performed foot/shoe screens for many participants during the event.

Monetary sponsors included: Fairview/Institute of Athletic Medicine, Winkley Orthotics and Prosthetics, Therapy Partners, The College of St. Catherine, North Memorial, Novacare Rehabilitation, Mayo School of Health Sciences/Medicine, and Tillges Certified Orthotic and Prosthetic Inc.

Food/prize in-kind donations were received from: Run N Fun, University of Minnesota Physical Therapy Department, KEMPS, Einstein Bagels, Wal-Mart, Caribou Coffee, Great Harvest, Cub Foods, Kowalski’s and General Mills.

A special thank you to all who were involved with planning the event and to all of the volunteers who helped to make our race a success. We greatly appreciate your help and hope you consider being a part of our committee in the future. If you are interested in joining the Bear Tracks 2008 work group, please feel free to contact Bear Tracks Chair Kristine Greer, PT.

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MN APTA Holds Successful Student Conclave

By McHaley Haeflinger, SPT, MN APTA SSIG Vice President

APTA Member Since 2006

On December 1, 2007, over 35 PT and PTA students from around Minnesota braved a snowstorm to attend the 3^rd Annual Minnesota Student Conclave hosted by MN APTA and the Mayo Program in Physical Therapy. The theme of the conclave was “International and Community Service in Physical Therapy for Students and Professionals.” The conclave program included a panel of community members, a keynote speaker during lunch, and a session on resume writing.

Each panel member shared his/her experiences as a volunteer and encouraged the students to seek out volunteer opportunities. Sue Klappa, PT, an assistant professor for the DPT Program at the College of St. Catherine, shared details of her experience volunteering as a PT in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, as well as the international trips that the St. Kate’s Program makes available for their PTA/PT students. Rick Miller, a local orthotist, described his work with Hands for Haiti in which medical teams, which include physical therapists, provide services at Haitian clinics. Tanya Oberg, PT, a physical therapist at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, shared her many experiences volunteering overseas with a variety of organizations. She told the students how her volunteer work was not always medical, but that her physical therapy background was utilized more than once. Joe Peplinski, an IBM employee and avid volunteer, talked about opportunities available with the Rochester Area Disabled Athletics and Recreation (RADAR) program, which includes an adaptive skiing program that Joe and PT students from the Mayo Program are involved in. Horace Hallman, PT, a former CCCE and faculty member for the Mayo Program in PT, is a keen Red Cross volunteer. He wrapped up the panel presentation by emphasizing that volunteering should be a passion rather than “a good thing to do.” Students also learned about volunteer opportunities with MN APTA, for those who were inspired to seek out volunteer experiences locally and internationally.

The keynote speaker, Eleanor Daly, PT, spoke to the students about her extensive volunteering efforts around the world after she retired as a physical therapist. Eleanor revealed to the students that it is never too late to volunteer. She also opened the eyes of many students to what can be done with physical therapy overseas. Eleanor told students that she stopped renewing her PT license at 75 years of age and now volunteers teaching English, thus demonstrating that volunteering can be done many ways.

Students interested in feedback on their resumes were able to receive comments and advice from Jon Nordrum, PT, a physical therapist, supervisor and instructor at the Mayo Clinic. Several students in their final years of PTA/PT school took advantage of this option and were very pleased with the suggestions they received.

Although the conclave was shortened to allow for safe travel, it was an enriching experience for all. Many students were encouraged by the variety of volunteer options available and all were enthusiastic about finding their place to serve.

A very heartfelt thank you to all our speakers: Eleanor Daly, PT, Horace Hallman, PT, Sue Klappa, PT, Rick Miller, Tanya Oberg, PT, and Joe Peplinski. We appreciate the time and efforts of Jon Nordrum, PT, and Debbie Roberts, PT, for contributing to our successful Conclave. Thank you also to MN APTA and the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences for sponsoring the Minnesota Student Conclave. Last, but not least, thank you to the MN APTA Student Special Interest Group for planning and organizing the Minnesota Student Conclave.

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State Legislative Issues Update

By Kathleen Picard, PT, MN APTA Board of Directors

APTA Member Since 1977

Consumer Access to Physical Therapy Bill

The new Minnesota legislative session begins on February 12, 2008, and MN APTA is preparing to continue efforts to pass the Consumer Access to Physical Therapy Bill. Last session, the bill was ‘laid on the table’ in the House Health Care Licensing Subcommittee where it remains for their consideration on February 12 (to ‘table’ a bill means to set it aside and delay making a decision on it until another time).

This bill addresses the need to remove the arbitrary and unnecessary access barriers to physical therapy services. Watch the MN APTA Website for information on the bill as it develops.

Athletic Trainers’ Scope of Practice Bill

The Minnesota Athletic Trainers’ Association (MATA) is planning to move forward with a scope of practice bill that would remove all references to “athlete” or “athletic” from their licensure statute. MN APTA is strongly opposed to this legislation on the basis of safety concerns for the public; you can read the MN APTA position statement on the ATC bill online [PDF].

Referral for Profit

The January 2008 issue of Orthopedic Clinics of North America includes an article on how to establish a physician-owned physical therapy service (The Physician-Owned Physical Therapy Department). APTA has taken a firm stand in opposition to such arrangements on the basis that they pose an inherent and avoidable conflict of interest for the referral source. APTA has responded by submitting a letter to the editor asserting that the article did not address the basic concerns with these practices.

MN APTA supports APTA’s position opposing self-referral and the MN APTA Board of Directors is studying this issue.

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MN APTA Legislative Day: March 4, 2008

MN APTA’s sixth annual Legislative Day provides an opportunity for physical therapy professionals to join together at the Minnesota Capitol. Together, we will learn about and build support for the Direct Access to Physical Therapy Bill.

This is the time when your participation is critical. Join your peers in voicing support for the Direct Access Bill! We will schedule times for you to meet with your legislators and discuss this important bill. As a constituent, YOU are the key to making a difference with your legislator!

EVENT: MN APTA 6^th Annual Legislative Day

DATE: March 4, 2008 (8:00 AM – 3:30 PM; registration at 7:00 AM)

LOCATION: Kelly Inn and Minnesota Capitol Building, Saint Paul

TO REGISTER: Visit the MN APTA Legislative Day web page and download a registration form [PDF]

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Save the Date! MN APTA 2008 Spring Conference

April 18-20, 2008; Earle Brown Heritage Center, Brooklyn Center, MN

Main Speaker: Donna Frownfelter, PT

Friday-Saturday: If Your Kids Can’t Breathe, Nothing Else Matters: Examination, Evaluation, and Intervention for Children with Respiratory Issues

Sunday: Excellence and Artistry in Physical Therapy

Add Spring Conference to your calendar!

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Call for Posters: 2008 MN APTA Spring Conference

We encourage clinicians, students, and faculty to submit a case report or completed research project for poster presentation at the MN APTA Spring Conference. Posters are to be presented on April 19, 2008, during Spring Conference. All submissions are welcome, including work that has been presented at other conferences, symposia, or in-services.

Deadline for abstract submission is 4:00 PM, Friday, March 7, 2008.

For more information, please visit the MN APTA Conference web page, contact the chapter office, or e-mail MN APTA Research Co-Chair John Schmitt.

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Evidence in Action: Ankylosing Spondylitis

Reveiwed By Kim Peters, PT, and the MN APTA Research Committee

APTA Member Since 1990

Clinical Question: What types of exercises are most beneficial for patients with ankylosing spondylitis?

Evidence: A sample of 30 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (mean age 34.9 years) participated in the study. Subjects had disease duration of nine years + 6.02 years. Subjects were randomly assigned to either an exercise group or to a control group. Both groups received medical treatment and were informed about what exercises would be beneficial; however, only the exercise group received supervised exercise training. The exercise group participated in 50 minutes of multimodal exercises, including aerobics, stretching, and pulmonary exercises, three times a week for three months. The outcome measurements of chest expansion, chin-to-chest distance, Modified Schober Flexion test, and occiput-to-wall distance were significantly better for subjects in the exercise group than for those in the control group. Spinal movements, physical work capacity, and vital capacity were also significantly improved for the exercise group at the end of the exercise program.

Clinical Decision: This research study demonstrated that patients with ankylosing spondylitis may benefit from a multimodal exercise program that includes aerobics, stretching, and pulmonary exercises.

Reference: Ince G, Sarpel T, Durgun B, Erdogan S. Effects of a Multimodal Exercise Program for People With Ankylosing Spondylitis. Phys Ther. 2006;86:924-935.

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Mark your calendar for:

Benefit Performance to honor

the memory of Marilyn Woods

DATE: Saturday, March 29, 6:00 – 9:00 PM

LOCATION: College of St. Catherine—Minneapolis Campus

More details will be available soon!

Proceeds from the benefit will go the Marilyn S. Woods Scholarship Fund for DPT students at the College of St. Catherine.

For more information, contact Cort Cieminski, DPT Program Director, College of St. Catherine (651-690-7884)

Upcoming MN APTA Course Opportunity!

Geriatric Strength Building

Presented by Mark Richards, PT, MS

Saturday, March 8, 2008 ● Minneapolis, MN

Geriatric muscular weakness is treated successfully with exercise. Unfortunately, optimal and expedient results have not been readily obtained with this age group. Exercise approaches often lack adequate research to support their use. This clinically applicable seminar will immediately provide you with contemporary, safe, and research-based approaches to optimal strength-building in the geriatric population. Whether used in therapy or in senior wellness programs, the course will help you get great results!