01/23/2012

We are pleased to have two students joining us this spring for their Level II twelve-week internships. 

Courtney Grimes started on Jan 16, and will be here through April 6th.  She is from Alabama State Univ in Montgomery.  She is spending her first three weeks with Jenny in the clinic, and doing EI and supervising.  She will then transition to work primarily with Brooke in the schools, and also be spending a few days with Tera in the schools.

Candace Lane will start on Feb 6th and finish on Apr 26th.  She will be working with Jenny for the duration of her clinical.  Jenny will be GLAD to have her as the weather heats up out in the arena!

12/29/2011

STAFF MEETING CANCELLED.

Check you email for details.

12/28/2011

Paid Time Off (PTO) Tracking

As of 2012, Freta will no longer keep track of our PTO.

When PR Employer first began to track our PTO, she continued to do so until they “got the bugs” out of their program.  That is no longer an issue. Their software takes into account your anniversary hire dates and rate changes.

You will continue to see your up to date available hours every 2 weeks on your pay stub.

12/8/2011

EI Processes related to therapy

Below is the copy of a letter I wrote on 12/08/2011 for the case managers and EI therapists:

Case Managers and Therapists,

I recently attended an informal chat regarding the Vital Message, hosted by Bright Beginnings in Troy, and lead by Nancy Parker and Amy Blakeney.  Several items were brought to my attention, which we want to incorporate into our processes so that we can improve our EI services.  I'll share these below.  Some processes may be new for us, and some are review of things we have already been doing or discussing.  We will also be attending a meeting in Ozark on January 11th about the Vital Message and EI, and if there are still areas to be clarified we can ask more questions there.   

1. When you make a referral (Step 3) for therapy to Sumlar Therapy, you need to send in the IFSP or portions of it (Outcomes, and Planned Services) that list the therapy you're requesting with an outcome.  You can attach these with the referral form via fax or email them to freta@sumlartherapy.com.  Email is preferrable for the large documents, because we will be distributing them to the therapists via email.  You may scan and email your referral page as well.  You can email your Outcomes page and your Planned Services page directly from the program.  You do not have to get all the documents in a singular email, just put the child's name in the subject line, and Freta will process it from there.  Without these documents your referral will be considered incomplete and will not be processed by our office.  These will be needed for the therapist's first visit.  The therapy discipline should be listed on the IFSP, either with some specific outcomes regarding skills or with a mention of a therapy assessment to determine recommendations.  You request a therapy service because the IEP team believes that the therapist may be one of the best people to help achieve a particular outcome.  We will need to write this outcome on our note to explain the reason for our visit.
2. Once a child has qualified for eligibility for EI through your testing, no standardized testing is to be completed by the therapists.  The child has already qualified for EI, and does not need to "qualify" for PT, OT, or Speech--neither upon initial assessment nor annually.  You will no longer see us using standardized tests as part of our initial assessments, unless there is a specific request.  The only exception to this is. . .
3. If you want to use a therapist's test scores to qualify a child for EI (second test), please indicate this purpose when you send in Step 1, along with your time line.  We may not be able to complete an evaluation within your time line.  Use this process cautiously--our schedules are frequently planned according to towns/regions three months in advance.  We may not be able to get to your town/area for another 6 weeks if we have just been there.
4. Once a therapist has made the initial visit, she will complete an initial therapy assessment form, the last page of which will include the recommendation of frequency (number of times per month) and intensity (number of minutes per session) along with a disclaimer that says something like "frequency and duration of therapy sessions will be determined by the IFSP team, and recorded on the IFSP by the case manager."  This is our method of communicating with the team, since we do not share the same office space.  We are acknowledging that we are making a recommendation only, and that the team's decision may be different than our recommendation.  Since we don't know what you and the parents will decide once you have our recommendation, we wait to get a response from you to see what you put on the IFSP before continuing with any further visits.
5. Following our initial recommendation, once you have added the therapy/freq/duration to the IFSP, please email us the Planned Services page that includes this info, along with the Outcomes portion of the IFSP if you have made any changes or additions.  Once we have rec'd that, we can proceed as you have indicated.  Please note that we will not start treament until we have received this. If you handwrite your IFSPs, you may type this info in an email to the therapist, or scan your handwritten document and email it.  You will know which therapist(s) to communicate with by looking at the email that was sent to you with the evaluation attached.  The evaluating therapist (and the treating therapist, if different) will be cc'd in the email.
6. Please let us know the timeline for beginning therapy sessions after you have added the therapy/freq/duration to the planned services document.
7. The IFSP can be updated at any time, not just at 6-month or annual reviews.
8. Any time you add/delete/change a therapy, frequency, or duration, email the therapist the Planned Services document.  We require this in writing so that there will not be any misunderstanding or errors.  We save your emails and print them for our records.  If you do not know which therapist to communicate with, send the email to freta@sumlartherapy.com OR email@sumlartherapy.com and it will be forwarded to the correct therapist. 
9. We have to write the Outcome(s) that we will be addressing, word for word, on our home visit note.   We have to work on the exact outcomes as outlined on the IFSP.  If we don't have them, we don't know what the team wants to work on.  On our home visit notes we will only write the Outcome(s) that we are addressing during that session.  Please don't write long, convoluted, repetitive outcomes with multiple themes.  Usually a simple sentence with a direct point is best understood.
10. Any time you add new Outcomes that involve a therapy discipline, email the Outcomes document to the therapist.  After discussion with the parents, if we have some suggestions for Outcomes we will email them to you or include them in the initial evaluation.  If you would like our input regarding outcomes, don't hesitate to ask.  You may change the wording of suggested outcomes to fit certain criteria for the IFSP, so once added you must email us the document.  (We need to write it on the home visit note word for word.) 
11. If the child meets an outcome, we will email you so that you can note the outcome as met on the IFSP.  If appropriate, new outcomes may need to be added.  If there are no more pertinent outcomes listed on the IFSP with the therapist as a provider, then the therapy needs to be discontinued.
12. Though there is information that you need to use for the IFSP on our initial assessment (emailed to you as an attachment), we will not put time-sensitive information on the home visit notes because we do not expect you to read every note.  Most of the therapists have phones from which they can email you with information that requires action on your part.  I prefer email to text, since the emails can be easily printed to be included in the record.
13. If a new concern comes up during a home visit, we may email you immediately about an outcome to add to the IFSP.  If it is a concern for the parent, then it can be added as an outcome on the IFSP at any time.
14. It is quick and legal to email the IFSP, the Outcomes page, and/or the Planned Services page.  If you have a question about how to do this, please contact Amy Blakeney.
15. Parents/caregivers do NOT need to sign the home visit notes.
16. The therapists are a part of the IFSP team.  When we have suggestions or requests, please weigh them as you would any member of the team. 
17. Please let us know about upcoming 6-month and annual reviews.   We may have pertinent information to share that is important to your planning.  
18. You are always welcome to attend a therapy session with us.  Just call, text, or email to find out when the next scheduled session is.  Keep in mind that our caseloads typically involve a heavy percentage of regimented time in the schools and clinic while taking us across several counties every week, so we don't enjoy much flexibility.
19. We will notify you of excessive difficulty scheduling sessions, no-shows, or cancellations.  We understand you may want to contact the family before we continue making attempts to visit a parent that may not want our services.
20. When you list providers on your IFSP, do not list an individual therapist's name, just list Sumlar Therapy.  We have to make caseload assignments based on a variety of changing factors, and you will notice a change of therapist occasionally as we alter caseloads to accomodate parent schedules and requests, therapist absences or changing schedules, new therapists, or shifting geographical/travel issues.  We are not making changes on a whim to confuse you and the parents, but in an effort to make sure we are providing the therapy at the correct frequency while incurring the least travel time, which helps to minimize the cost of the service.  When a staffing change is made, the therapists are discussing the child's needs and background and sharing documentation and emails; they are not doing another evaluation, but continuing services as planned.  We realize we sometimes forget to email you about the staff change, so please accept my apology.  If you are ever unsure about who the therapist is, address any email to freta@sumlartherapy.com and she will get it to the right therapist.

Thank you for taking the time to review this list.  Please tell me if you disagree with anything, or feel that I have missed the mark on something.  Also please let me know if you would like me to add something else that will serve to clarify the contract therapists' role in EI, our office's role in processing and distributing info, or your role as a case manager. 

12/5/2011

Early Intervention Therapists:  Please print and read the attached article.  It appeared in a 2008 edition of a publication called "Zero to Three."  It was shared with me from Stephanie Wilkerson at VBCEI, and has been making the EI rounds among providers in the state.

Top 10 Mistakes

12/5/2011

Mandatory meeting for Early Intervention Therapists on Wednesday, January 11th--in OZARK--yea!!!  Plan to be at VBA at 11:45 AM, leave at 2:30PM. 

Doesn't even interfere with clinic--WOW--they must like us!

The following email (a portion) was rec'd from Mary Beth Vick at the state level:

Hello All! “A Vital Message about Alabama’s Early Intervention system” training has been scheduled for the following sites in the month of January 2012. 

For those of you who have not already attended this training please remember that in order to comply with AEIS Interagency Coordinating Council’s personnel standards, all individuals working with AEIS are required to attend this mandatory training. This will be reviewed at Provider Appraisal Reviews.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dothan- January 11, 2012                                         Nancy Parker, facilitator

12:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.                                                  Mary Beth Vick, facilitator

Vivian B. Adams                                                                     

2047 Stuart Tarter Road                                                        

Ozark, AL. 36360

Contact number for directions (334) 774-5132

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12/5/2011

We are excited to announce a new staff member, Hannah Kavanaugh, OTR/L.  She will be working with us full-time as of 12/12/11 and comes with experience in pediatrics, having worked for a year in schools and early intervention.  Hannah's husband is in the military, and was originally scheduled to be here less than 6 months, but they recently found out that he has been reassigned to Ft. Rucker for two years.  Good news for peds!

With the hiring of Hannah, we will be resuming our work in CovCS for Occupational Therapy.

Clinic Closing for Holidays!

The CLINIC will be closed

the week before Christmas (Dec 19-23)

and the week after (Dec 26-30). 

See you in 2012 at the semi-annual staff meeting.

 You and your family

are invited to the

10th Annual Christmas Barn Party

@ The Sumlars

Saturday, December 17th @ 6PM

Join us for supper, desserts, and

      an outdoor Christmas service in the barn

at the Sumlars, 2428 Stuart Tarter Road in Ozark. 

    Casual dress.  Child friendly party!

   Please bring a dessert to share.

RSVP to Kristin via email, text, 797-3762 or 445-6166.

INTERNS!  INTERNS!  INTERNS!

You will be seeing lots of OT interns in 2012!  We have two OT interns scheduled in the spring, one in the summer, and two in the fall.

Mandatory Staff Meeting

January 2nd, 8:30AM.

Let's welcome in the New Year together!  Plan to start early and we will conclude with lunch. 

We will not be doing CPR as we were certified last year for two years.  Those of you who are new, or who for some reason were not in our class last year in January, may need to take a class at the Red Cross in Dothan on Montezuma Avenue.  Contact me ASAP if you will need to take a CPR class to stay current with your certification through January of 2013!  There are recert classes at 6PM on December 27th, and on Jan 31st that we can sign you up for.

Clinic starts back up Monday afternoon, January 2nd, following our meeting. 

Schools start back up on

   January 2nd (CCS, HCS, HenCS)

   January 3rd (EnCS, FRS, Opp, PCS)

   January 4th (ACS, BCS, CovCS, OCS)

   January 5th (DCS, EuCS) 

You may need to rearrange your typical work week to see the most schools while accomodating the staggered back-to-school dates. 

11/19/2011

The Clinic will be closed next week Nov. 21^st through Nov. 25^th for Thanksgiving holidays.

If you have a caseload in Coffee County, Dothan City, Eufaula City, Henry Count or Pike County, plan to work Monday and Tuesday, as those schools are open.

Freta will be working on Monday only to complete payroll. Please make sure your Friday’s log is here or send an email saying you didn’t work.

Business as usual again on Monday, November 28^th.

10/28/2011
EI Therapists:  Please review following attachment shared by Kay Nicholas at VBAEI. 
EI Information

10/24/2011
Christmas Party

December 2nd, Friday, 6:30pm

Please attend Sumlar Therapy's Christmas get-together at the "Tipsy Easel" (102 S. Cherokee Avenue, Suites 2 & 3. Dothan AL 36301 334.714.7147, near the country club) for an evening of painting and fun.  Plan to stay for about 2 hours, and wear clothes you don't mind getting paint on.  At the end of the evening you will leave with a "masterpiece" to hang in your foyer! (or your garage)  Employees only, no children.  We can have drinks, appetizers, and desserts at the studio so plan to bring a treat or sweet.  RSVP to Judy!

• Veterans' Day, November 11th, Friday.  ALL schools and clinic are closed. 
• Thanksgiving Week:  Clinic may OR may not be closed.  Many schools are closed the entire week.  So clinic closing is TBD.

08/16/2011
Renewing a Cancelled Contract with Pike County Schools
PCS called Sumlar Therapy last week when they discovered their new provider of therapy services backed out.  PCS has asked us to provide speech therapy services in addition to OT and PT.  We have agreed to provide as many of these services as we can on short notice, and will work on developing staffing to provide 100% of the services requested.  Tera Andrew, OT, has agreed to continue providing OT services through Sumlar Therapy, so we are glad to have her back in Goshen, Banks, and Brundidge without missing a day.

08/16/2011

$50 to spend for new supplies:  Remember you have money to spend for new therapy supplies, up to $50 annually, that does not need to be preapproved.  You may purchase items yourself and turn in receipts and reimbursement form.  If you buy at yard sales or consignment sales, and do not have a receipt, simply write a description of what you purchased on the form.  $50 includes purchase price, tax, shipping and handling.  All items you are reimbursed for become the property of Sumlar Therapy and STS should be marked on the item.

Treasure Trunk Sale coming September 9th and 10^th in Ozark at Civic Center:  consignment sale opens to public late Friday evening, and Saturday.  some items Half Price in afternoon saturday.  great toys, baby items, clothing.

08/04/2011

DEPARTURES: 

Mallory Boozer, PTA, has taken a traveling therapist position during the summer, and is having so much fun she has decided not to return to Enterprise.  We are looking to hire a PT in her place but in the meantime Tonya Alexander, PTA, one of Michele’s former therapy students, is going to help us out.

Tera Andrew, OT, has turned in her resignation.   She is going to continue working in PCS with the new contract company.

We wish them both well in their new adventures.

08/04/2011

Sharing a note from an EI case manager:

Dear EI Therapist -

 If you have cancelled any therapy visits with your EI Families please remember to make an attempt to reschedule these within a timely manner. By State standards, services that are cancelled by the Family are NOT required to be made up, but services cancelled by an EI provider are required to be rescheduled! Thank you for all you do! Should you have any questions, please call any Bright Beginnings Service Coordinator.

Thanks

Bright Beginnings EI
Dana Davis
Service Coordinator
UCP Mobile/ Bright Beginnings EI
PO Box 928
Troy, Alabama 36081
Ph: (334) 808-2884
F: (334) 566-7987

About EI--Addendum from Kristin: 

Accounting of visits/frequency and duration of sessions: Some of your case managers are asking for an accounting of every visit (visit made, or not made, cancelled by whom? rescheduled when?) and comparing it to the frequency and duration on the IFSP, and asking for justification if the two do not match. 

·        Make sure to DOCUMENT EVERY PHONE CALL, EVERY ATTEMPT TO SCHEDULE AND EVERY PARENT REFUSAL/CANCELLATION/DECLINATION on your ongoing/plain lined therapy note (you should have one for every child), AND

·        EACH MONTH YOU MAKE A NOTATION ON THIS NOTE YOU NEED TO COPY IT AND INCLUDE IT WITH YOUR END OF THE MONTH NOTES. 

·        If you are making up a visit from a previous month you must write that at the top of the note. 

·         EI is a year-round program, and there are apparently no “understood” breaks for Christmas and Spring Break, etc, so documenting a missed visit for “spring break” is not acceptable.  You need to make every visit if the parents want you to, or document if the parents declined the visit.

·        Since you are seeing the children less frequently you may want to write your duration for 45 minutes or more.  If the IFSP calls for 30 minutes and you are staying longer, you need to email your case manager (or your supervising therapist if you are a therapist assistant) to request more time so you can be within the framework and so that we will be paid for all of your time spent with the family. 

·        You need to spend nearly the amount of time (within 7-8 minutes, ½ unit) as required by the IFSP.  It seems in EI it is no longer okay to spend longer than the amount of time on the IFSP. 

·        Your “training” and your note writing and direct therapy/demonstration with the child (essentially your time in the home) are all considered part of the EI family training program, and should be billed using a T.  Your T units on your billing need to match your time frame on your note, within 7 minutes. (There is no need to use C’s for consultation as all of your treatment is supposed to be family training and demonstration anyway, per EI “family training” model.)

·        You should email/ask and wait for confirmation of changes on the IFSP, and print these communications for your records.   If you receive info in conversation, you need to date/document/sign on your general note form.

·        Remember that the IFSP is a legal document, and is to be followed as written.  Changes shall not take place prior to the date of change of the written IFSP.

Indirect Work and Billing:

You may still bill indirect units for work done for a patient while not in the home, using the M code, with documentation indicating your use of the time (ie, phone calls, scheduling, eval write up, emails to CM—emails can be printed to use as part of the record—always using appropriate language and ensuring that no other patients’ name is in the email).  Time spent on phone calls for scheduling purposes should be billed as one unit if exceeding 8 minutes (greater than ½ unit).  Do not overbill, do not underbill.

Accounting of Outcomes: They are also looking at your outcomes to see if they match the IFSP word for word, and to see if your note addresses ONLY the OUTCOME(s) as listed on the IFSP and documented at the top of your note.

·        What is an “outcome?”  It’s the “parent-friendly goal” on the IFSP.  I am including a portion of an email from a case mgr to a therapist:  “I also noticed that you’re using the wrong kind of outcomes.  . . Ex. “ST will work with …..” That is not an outcome. That was the procedure. The correct outcome will be the one that says “Kid’s name will …” 

·        You may list more than one outcome at the top of the note, but only those that you worked on or discussed with the parent.  This means you may not write the same outcome(s) on every note every time.  If you’re not going to or did not work on a particular outcome/goal, don’t write it on the visit note.  I am including a portion of an email from a case mgr to a therapist: “90% of the notes need to match the outcomes.”

·        I will remind the case managers to send you the IFSP’s upon adding each therapy discipline and upon adding, deleting, or changing outcomes (goals), but if they do not it will be your responsibility to email/call them and get the outcomes. As you do, remind them that you must have the outcomes to write your notes the way they want them. [We had one case manager say she could not email IFSP’s due to HIPPA confidentiality, but others that say they can, then again others that don’t know how.  I don’t care how they get you the outcomes, just make sure you have them somehow.] 

·        Maintain copies of the most current outcomes for your discipline in your patient folder/notebook, and refer to it frequently.  Supervising therapists should be able to look at the current outcomes list as provided by the case manager and compare that to previous notes.

·        It is advisable to be in frequent email contact with any case manager you work with to ensure you have the most up-to-date information.  

·        If they mail hard copies here to the clinic, Freta will notify you that they are here and it will be your responsibility to come to the clinic and copy them, or email Freta to ask that they be mailed to you.  (ask your case managers to email them to you, please!)

·        You may also be involved in writing new outcomes--offer your help. 

·        You need to notify case managers (or your supervisor in the case of COTA’s and PTA’s) as outcomes are met, suggesting new ones as appropriate.  Do not continue to work on outcomes that have been surpassed!  I am including a portion of an email from a case mgr to a therapist:  “If parents want to work on something new that is not on the IFSP just let me know and I will meet with the parent to update the IFSP. I constantly remind parents that we can add new outcomes anytime.”  If a case mgr tells you it’s not time to update the IFSP (this has happened!) just respond with a friendly email (print out for records) that the outcome has been accomplished and it is appropriate to add new outcomes at any time so that you can continue therapy and be in compliance with EI’s request for outcomes on the visit notes.  Suggest an outcome that you and the parent talked about.

·        Ask to be notified of 6 month reviews, and look at outcomes that pertain to you.  It’s a good time to suggest updates via email.

·        It is extremely important that you follow these new guidelines, because I foresee the EI programs denying payment for any work done “incorrectly.” 

·        And, as a reminder, a previous posting from a portion of an email from a case manager:  Just wanting to follow up with you concerning a recent piece of information I have received. I have been informed that all therapy progress notes that do not have the “functional outcome” as listed on the IFSP under section 8 will be found out of compliance due to Federal Regulations and EI monitoring.

Documenting for EI:

·        I am loving the handwritten customizable evaluations!  I find myself providing a more thorough and consistent evaluation, saving time and frustration, and getting the evaluations to the case managers quicker. I hope you are having the same experience and want to remind you that if you have an idea for a form or changes to a form, please type it up and send it to me for approval.  We can add it to our growing list of available eval forms to choose from. These are posted on our website for everyone to use.

·        NO MORE GOAL PAGE:  I experimented the last several months with NOT providing a goal page with EI evaluations, and the case managers did not miss it.  I think they were ignoring it anyway, or did not like it, because EI is supposed to be parent-driven, and all goals (“outcomes”) are supposed to be selected by the parent, emphasizing that it is the parents’ choices that are the focus.  Since we are not billing Medicaid for direct therapy (as of Oct 2010) we are not subject to the same documentation standards. 

·        New wording on treatment plan:  I am still using the treatment plan form, as this is an appropriate part of any evaluation.  However, the first thing I am listing in the first column is “Parent Education” in deference to the EI vision of being a “family training program.”

·        Recommending Frequency and Duration:  The presence of our recommendations has long been a complicated issue of wording with the EI case managers, and subject to much debate.  I maintain that as the evaluating therapist we SHOULD recommend frequency and duration of treatment, but always with the understanding that the “IFSP team” will set the course.  [We of course are members of the IFSP team, as are the parents and case managers, and by making our recommendation in writing on the eval, they know our preference.]  As a reminder or for explanation, I have added this sentence to my evaluation form at the end of the Recommendation section, and you should too:  “Frequency and duration of PT sessions will be determined by the IFSP team, and recorded on the IFSP by the case manager.” OR “I am recommending that physical therapy see the child/family ________ per month; however, the IFSP team will determine and adjust the frequency as PT fits into the overall plan.”

·        Recommending other therapy disciplines:  I have been using the Recommendation page, under “Other,” to indicate to the case managers that I suggest an evaluation or “consultation” with ST or OT.  I think when they get an evaluation emailed to them they look at the recommendations, but I wouldn’t just include this on a visit note and expect them to read every visit note.  If you would like to recommend another discipline and you are not writing on an eval form, please email the request to the case manager’s attention.

·        As a reminder, here in its entirety is a previous posting regarding a properly written EI note:

Following is an example of an EI note sent from the state.  Please read and follow these guidelines.  Any additional info not appropriate for this note may be written on your Therapy Note.

FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRESS NOTE (sample of how to write one)

Child’s name: _______ _________   Date of this service:    __(monitors look at the date of each progress note to  (1) determine if a service was delivered within 30 days of being added to IFSP and

(2) determine that services were delivered per stated Frequency on IFSP (2x month, 1x month, quarterly)

Service provided per the IFSP:  ___indicate here which service you provide (Speech, OT, PT, etc.)    

IFSP Outcome(s):   Indicate the outcome(s) as  written on the IFSP (you were assigned to work).  Keep in mind, you can put more than one outcome here but you should be able to show  over a period of time that you worked on ALL of the outcomes indicated.    For instance (and I made these up):

Outcome #1   R. will be able to use the names of familiar people and things in his environment.   

Outcome #2   R. will be able to express his wants and needs.

Summary:   You describe specifically activities you participated in, demonstrated  or presented to parent and/or child on this date.  Keep in mind that these activities should be directly related to the functional outcome(s).  We frequently see summaries of how well the child has been doing with no mention of what the child, caregiver and service provider did together for 30 minutes or 1 hour.  Instead, we suggest complete sentences that lead with action words in family-friendly language.   Notice this is written in complete sentences and family-friendly language since you will leave a copy with a plan for in-between visit activities for parents/caregivers. 

Example of what we want (I know you have seen one before, but it is basic to say what happened):  Today, in the home, R. and I reviewed (with mother) several picture books, naming objects (book, shoe, house, etc.) and animals (cat, ant, pig, and dog-we worked on saying “Buster”- family dog) and encouraged R to repeat.   We moved onto four favorite family photographs; R. named each family member at least once; he repeated “Daddy” and “Mommy” at each presentation.   He was unable to say Sara (sister), but showed interest in passing the photo back and forth.   *(This paragraph was about naming familiar people and things)

We also reviewed picture books with food items and I demonstrated for Mom how to present “cereal”, “milk” and “crackers” to begin working on wants and needs.   Mother demonstrated effectively how to do this when paired with words and how to encourage a response.   R.  has done well during the last few sessions and is making excellent progress saying at least 20 new words in the last few weeks (mother confirms).  He has begun using two-three word phrases.  *(Reviewers considering appropriate reimbursement for services require this kind of detail.)   (Express Wants/Needs)

Example of what we do not want:  Mom said R. had not been sleeping well and was cranky today.  He talks a little sometimes but it is hard to understand him because of articulation problems.  He has improved though over the last few weeks.  He can spontaneously say names and objects in books.    He loves puzzles.   (This is not a good note because it tells us the child is cranky today but making progress and loves puzzles. The note does not describe what occurred during 30 minutes to help meet outcomes)

Parent/Caregiver Plan:   This is where you specify exactly what you want the parent to work on with the child during those everyday routines.  Suggestions are not meaningful if they are not based on routines. 

Example:   I asked Mother to work with R. at breakfast and lunch on repeating words paired with food presentation.   I also asked her to read the books shared today at bedtime or regular reading time, while taking the opportunity to name objects at Wal-mart, the park, in the car.   I encouraged Mother (and subsequently Father) to encourage phrasing (two words).  

 Time Arrived/Departed:    per IFSP Intensity         Provider Signature: __must be signed____

 Parent/Caregiver Signature:  _________      Date:  ____________

Printing Emails for the Record:  It is very useful and time saving to print emails pertaining to patients for your records.

·        Encourage communication re: changes in the IFSP and outcomes via email so that you can print instead of having to document the conversation by hand.

·        Save emails to respond to questions, or to prove that emails were sent or rec’d.

·        Ensure that your language in all emails is professional and fit to become part of the medical record. 

·        Review all of the message “thread” before printing—make sure you see what is included in earlier exchanges!

·        Ensure that each email to be included in the record is regarding ONLY the one CHILD for whom the email is being printed.  No other EI patients’ names should appear in a child’s medical record.

·        It is a good idea to place the child’s name in the Subject line of your email for easy retrieval.  

·        Requesting and rec’ing info such as change in freq or duration via email gives you a “written record” of date of notification and that such a change took place.  Remember that the IFSP is a legal document, and is to be followed as written.  Changes shall not take place prior to the date of change of the written IFSP.

·        Regarding slow responders or no-responders, forwarding a previously sent message and requesting a response demonstrates your communication attempts via the message thread.

Accomplishing Visits:

·        You may find it prudent to call and/or text your patients, or write your visits on calendars in the home, to remind them of appointments. [Do not text while driving.]

·        Time spent is billed to the patient if cumulative time exceeds ½ unit.  Do not overbill, do not underbill.

·        We are finding that with less frequent and more inconsistent visits (day of the week and time changes) there are more No Shows and Cancellations.  Try to eradicate this by stepping up your communication methods, and documenting this.

Decrease of therapy visits/Changes in EI:

The information I have of late is that one therapy discipline will be chosen as the “primary” provider and may get to go up to twice per month to help the family with therapy and “family training.”  Another discipline or two may get to see the child on a “consultative” basis, which may be once per month or less.  Some programs are not making the change in “mid-stride” but will at the 6-month review and with new kids.  Each EI program describes their changes a little differently as they have been taught by their state auditor. 

I have spoken with several of the case managers that we work with, and know that some have learned new information about the way things are supposed to be done during their recent state reviews (which I have passed onto you).  Those who have not had reviews seem to be continuing with the old protocol.  Unfortunately for us, as contractors for programs having different auditors and directors and case managers, I am and you are getting different explanations or plans from various programs.  Attempting to mesh these requests into one viable procedure for each EI task is challenging.  I have been told that a class would be held with BBEI, but that has not transpired or been offered yet; the opportunity may help overall, or may be too specific to BBEI to be of much use globally. 

Moving Forward:  One way we may address the EI issue is to designate some therapists as “EI Specialists” and try to concentrate our patient caseloads with the fewest therapists possible, making sure those therapists are well-informed.  This will also limit the number of therapists that each EI case manager has to communicate with, which should improve information flow and foster relationships.  Any suggestions you have will also be considered.

07/19/2011

Incorrect posting:  Open enrollment is in September!

06/09/2011

July is open enrollment for Blue Cross Blue Shield. 

If you would like to get/drop/change your BCBS health insurance plan contact Kristin prior to the end of July.

07/18/2011

Early Intervention Notes:  More helpful info from Kay. . .

Here are some examples of what the State thinks is appropriate for a parent plan on a progress note.  Thanks, Kay

1.Put her on tummy – dangle toy in front of her, then move it out of sight-physically assist if needed to flip over.  2. While on back use the blanket corner as a way to lift her over to encourage her to roll over.  3.  When in sitting hold to her hips or trunk as low down with your hands decrease the amount of support she needs – to strengthen muscles in back.

1)In sitting encourage him to free his hands in order to play with toys.  You can hold a toy at chest level in front of him so he can work on his sitting balance.  2) Place toys in front of him out of his reach when on his tummy. Give support at thigh and on bottom of feet so he can push forward.  3) Let him practice crawling up into your lap, helping as needed.  4) Work on taking toys out of a container.  5) Play pat-a-cake.  Have him clap 2 toys together to make a loud sound he can hear

2) Use new pop-up toy to begin introducing purposeful play.  You open, and have him push them all closed giving help as needed.  This is a way to begin imitative and interactive play

The parent plan should be activities that have either just been modeled or that the parent is familiar with to address an IFSP outcome.  Give examples of what the provider means so that the parent does not have to guess.

07/13/2011

MANDATORY STAFF MEETING AUGUST 8^TH MONDAY 8:15AM to approx noon.  

Most of our schools will have started by August 9^th.  Please check your school schedules for specific dates.

CLINIC SCHEDULE:  We will start our fall schedule Monday August 8^th. 

07/12/2011

Direct Access Bill for Physical Therapy (Update by Susie Callan of the APTA on May 26, 2011)

SB 361 did not successfully make it out of the Senate Health Committee on Wednesday. Therefore, we were not successful in achieving direct access this legislative session. However, we did gain a great deal of momentum with the legislators and have laid the groundwork for a successful 2012 legislative session. Our Chapter leadership will re-group and share our plans for next session in the near future. We would like to commend the many PTs, PTAs, PT/PTA students and others who worked diligently in promoting the direct access bill. Our efforts were not wasted and we do believe that we are much closer to achieving direct access to PT in Alabama than ever before.

Also, SB 459 (the chiropractor bill) did not make it out of the Senate Health Committee either. At this time, we do not expect this bill to progress any further.

06/09/2011

Jenny DeBourge, OT, has joined us this month.  She comes with 4 years’ experience from the St. Louis area, having grown up in the Chicago area.  Her husband is in flight school at Ft. Rucker.  She is off to a great start in the clinic this summer.  She will also be working in EI this summer, and in the schools this fall.  Welcome, Jenny!

06/09/2011

July is open enrollment for Blue Cross Blue Shield. 

If you would like to get/drop/change your BCBS health insurance plan contact Kristin prior to the end of July.

06/07/2011

Early Intervention Therapists:  Issues recently brought to my attention are:

1. therapists need to see the patient for the amount of time specified on the IFSP, no more no less
2. therapists need to be specific on their notes regarding time in and time out, because programs may be comparing the billing to the note (units compared to the time in/out you wrote on the note); therapists need to change the “time out” if they stay longer past the time they wrote the note and presented the copy to the parent (if you change a time on a note once leaving the copy for the parent, you better write a detailed explanation on your note and initial it); and along with this, you need to ensure the billing accurately reflects the time spent in the home/daycare in service to the patient
3. some programs may not email IFSP’s (a regional EI office recently told a case manager that emailing IFSP’s is not HIPPA compliant) so you may begin getting notices from Freta about paper IFSP’s arriving in our office (you will need to pick up the IFSP’s in the office, or request that they be mailed to you when Freta notifies you that they have arrived at our office); you may still communicate via email about the patients though, so make sure you’re getting notified via case managers re: any additions or changes to outcomes, frequency, duration.

05/19/2011

To be in compliance with current EI regulations, the “shortened form” of the functional outcomes will not be enough.  We have to make sure we write the full functional outcome pertaining to your session that day as it appears on the IFSP in order to be reimbursed.   Example provided by a state reviewer:  “The actual IFSP outcome should be on the progress note.   ‘Mom wants Jose to walk to her when she calls his name.’”  [Apparently adding the phrase “when she calls his name” makes the activity of walking ‘functional,’ because otherwise. . . JUST DO IT. ]

You may choose one or two outcomes each day.  You need to choose one pertinent to your discipline and to your session’s focus.  You do not need to choose the same one every visit.

This means you need to have the most up-to-date IFSP for each of your EI kids.  YOU are responsible to request these from each of your case managers, if they do not send them to you.  The goals (functional outcomes) can be sent to you in any format, (handwritten and SCANNED/emailed, typed in an email, or most simply emailed directly from their EI program without any duplicative work of typing anything), but discourage any faxing or mailing to our office.  Ask them to send the info directly to you and other involved therapists.

You will also need to stay in closer contact with your case managers, letting them know when goals/functional outcomes have been met, and suggesting new outcomes.  Request the case manager to forward you the new IFSP when the outcomes are added, and make sure you copy the sentence word for word on your notes. 

05/19/2011

Please respond ASAP, let me know which of your students or EI kids need to be seen during the summer, and IF YOU INTEND TO SEE THEM.  If you want someone else to pick them up, let me know now!  We are putting together the summer schedule.

Judy has requested that you send her the list of kids who need ESY (extended school year, therapy of your discipline) at each school.  Follow up please if you have not already done so.  Remember, just because you recommended ESY does not mean that the school agrees to provide it—it needs to be confirmed with the school.  Judy has gotten some info from spec ed directors, so check with her.  Also, ESY does not necessarily mean “weekly.”  ESY may be for as little as 4 visits, may be 6, 8, or every week school is closed.  The school sets the schedule.

Jenny Hassler, OT, will start May 31st, and will be working in the clinic this summer, and can also provide services for ESY and EI.  We are gathering referrals from EI programs now. 

Mallory is going to take a traveling position for the summer, and all of her patients are already assigned.  Jill is not working anymore after May ends, and I have assigned her patients for the summer. 

05/01/2011

ATTENTION THERAPISTS TREATING STUDENTS IN SCHOOL SYSTEMS: All notes and any pertinent documentation must be turned into the clinic ready for Judy to file. Do not bring blank notes or evaluations that have no extra documentation. Do not turn in Change of Status unless you have seen their 2011-2012 IEP and know it does not include your discipline.

04/14/2011

THIS BEARS REPEATING, previously posted but worth noting again:

04/14/2011

From: Nicole Baldwin [mailto:nicole@DHCMRB.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 8:00 AM
To: Kristin Sumlar
Subject: Progress notes

Hey Kristin,

Just wanting to follow up with you concerning a recent piece of information I have received. I have been informed that all therapy progress notes that do not have the “functional outcome” as listed on the IFSP under section 8 will be found out of compliance due to Federal Regulations and EI monitoring. I see that this is may be different than standard practice and wanted to see what I could do to help to ensure we are in compliance with these Federal Regulations. Please let me know your thoughts, thanks again for you help with this matter.

Sincerely,

Nicole Baldwin

Director of Case Mgt.

Vaughn Blumberg Services

Nicole,

The way we have tried to address this in the past is to ask the case managers to email us a copy of the current IFSP.  There has been a sparse response overall, and I think in part because some of the EI coordinators do not know how to email the IFSP’s.  Some have gone to the trouble to type up the IFSP goals related to each of our providing disciplines in an email, or handwrite them and fax them or mail them, but that is additional work and has not been maintained past the initial request.  Best case scenario, when you complete a new IFSP, or change an IFSP, email it in part of in full to freta@sumlartherapy.com and we’ll get it to the correct therapist.  For my part, I will share your email with our therapists as a reminder to use the correct IFSP designated functional outcome at the top of their notes for each visit.  If you notice that our notes continue to contain information which is out of compliance, please let me know.  Thank you!

Kristin

Sumlar Therapy EI Therapists:

Please read below for important information about what to write on your EI notes.  Nicole’s email (VBCEI coordinator) reads in part:  all therapy progress notes that do not have the “functional outcome” as listed on the IFSP under section 8 will be found out of compliance due to Federal Regulations and EI monitoring

This concerns the top “box” you fill in regarding the goal of the session, or functional outcomes.  You must have a copy of the current IFSP, or some written info from the case manager re: the info on the IFSP.  If you don’t, ask Freta if it has been emailed, faxed, or mailed to us, and obtain a copy; look on our database in the patient section—if it was emailed to Freta it was saved there; or email the case manager to request a copy.  Every time an IFSP is updated, we should get a copy, and email is by far the preferable way so we can share it quickly among all disciplines and save it to our database.  You may want to consider emailing your specific case managers and requesting all updated copies of your IFSPs if you have not rec’d any in a while.  Print out the IFSPs, or at LEAST the page with your goals on it, put it in your notebook, and use the IFSP functional outcome wording on every EI note.

Kristin

04/13/2011

Student Internships: 

Nichole, our current SLP intern, will be finishing up at the end of the month and graduating with her master’s degree.  She will then be marrying Dan Sinas’s son and moving to Auburn.  (Dan is with PRemployer in the HR department.)  Nichole has done a fantastic job, so please be sure to tell her so as she wraps up her time with us.  Thanks also to Patty for being her clinical instructor---I know it was hard but somebody had to do it! 

We have FOUR upcoming OT students during 2011-2012:  Courtney Pickney is returning from AL State Univ in Montgomery for the fall of 2011 (Aug 11^th—Nov 22^nd).  Three interns are planning to be here each in 12 week clinicals in spring, summer, and fall of 2012.

04/13/2011

School Therapists:  Are you using your Medicaid notes in the schools?  (Refer to LOOK posting on 11/20/2010.)  Look up the Medicaid Eligible Students List on our website and make sure you are using the correct documentation.  Check now to see if any of your newer kids are M/C.  You will begin seeing the M/C designation on your e-Referrals so you’ll know up front which paperwork you need to be using!

04/13/2011

Therapists must present Picture ID and “Suitability” Letter (proof of background check) when entering licensed daycares.  Stephanie, at VBCEI, sent the following note:

“Every staff member and vendor (that’s us—we are contractors or “vendors”) with Early Intervention that goes to a licensed child care center to work with a child must present a photo ID and a copy of their suitability letter documenting that a criminal history background check has been performed. This is a requirement by the State of Alabama. If the therapist does not present this when arriving to the child care, including Early Head Start, they cannot go in to see the child. Sherri William, at Early Head Start, did state that if the therapist will bring a copy of (her) photo ID and the suitability letter that they will be glad to keep it (on) file. . . In other child care (centers), therapists will have to present it each time they go. . . effective immediately.”  Stephanie Wilkerson, Vaughn Blumberg Services

If you do not already have your suitability letter (it was initially mailed directly to your house following fingerprinting review) you need to EMAIL Freta to request a copy be sent to you.  Keep a copy of the letter and a photocopy of your picture ID in your EI notebook (clear plastic sleeve?) to present at the door of the daycare when requested.

04/13/2011

EARLY INTERVENTION_2011.pdf

10th Annual Early Intervention Update Tuesday, June 14th in Tuscaloosa.  CEU's "have been applied for” according to the brochure for PT's, OT's and Speech Therapists—call your board to find out about approval and amount of CEU’s for this CHEAP course.  Cost is $15.  Conference is 8AM to 4PM.  Please review the sessions as outlined in the PDF brochure.  Several PT’s from Children’s Hospital in B’Ham are instructing in “Positioning and Handling for Children with Hypotonia,” which would be useful for PT, OT, and ST; “Estimated Visual Function and Outcomes;” “Acquired Pediatric Brain Injury;” and more!  Space is limited. 

04/12/2011

CASELOAD Responsibility:  Each therapist or therapist assistant is responsible to ensure that every child on their caseload is accounted for and/or treated.  Sometimes it is hard to keep track of kids between the initial referral, evaluation, and scheduling phase, whether this takes place in the clinic, school, or EI.  Therefore we have a multi-step system to try to stop kids “from falling through the cracks.” 

1. The new referral is emailed to the therapist, and to the therapist assistant if involved
2. The completed evaluation is emailed to the therapist/therapist assistant and IEP/IFSP holder
3. The patient’s name appears on the updated caseload list on the employee website, posted each month for your review

If you see a patient “appear” in any one of these three places, follow up!  We might miss one of the steps of notification by error, but any one of these steps should alert you that you need to track down a patient and see what you need to do to ensure that the child gets treatment, or help correct an error.  If it’s “your school” it’s your caseload.  If you are sharing a caseload with another therapist, don’t assume that someone else is taking care of it—communicate with your team to make sure that no child “FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS!”

04/12/2011

NEW Occupational Therapist starting June 1^st !  Jenny DeBourge, OTR, will be joining us by way of St. Louis, MO.  She graduated in 2007 and has been working in schools and early intervention.  She’ll be here in time to start the summer clinic schedule with us, and in the fall the plan is for Jenny to cover the clinic, supervise Miriam and Susie, and cover the BCS schools.  Jenny’s husband is in the military, and they anticipate being here for a year or two, living on post.

04/08/2011

"Lord,

You know better than I know myself that I am getting older…. and someday will be old. 

Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. 

Make me thoughtful, but not moody, helpful, but not bossy.

With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but You know, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end."

04/08/2011

Subject: CEUs for Therapists

Registration Form

ReimbursementCourse2011

Good morning,

I am excited to announce that Wallace College will be hosting a CEU course for PT and OT disciplines!  I have attached the course description and registration form.  Please note that this course will also address supervision requirements for students.  The course is scheduled for Saturday, May 7^th from 8:15 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. and will be worth 5 CEUs.  The cost of the course is $45.00 and will be held at the CEWD (Center for Economic and Workforce Development) building on Highway 231. 

Our goal is to have enough of a response to this course so we can host a course yearly!  Please let me  know if you have any questions, and thank you supporting the PTA Program at Wallace College.

Sincerely,

Shannon Turner

Shannon D. Turner, LPTA

PTA Program

Wallace Community College

1141 Wallace Drive

Dothan, Alabama  36303

Phone--(334) 556-2362

Fax--(334) 983-3600

sturner@wallace.edu

04/07/2011

SPRING RE-EVALS:

Freta is going to send you all the most up-to-date school lists, divided and organized by school.  Every therapist needs to compare that list to the completed evals, using the evals you have rec’d in EMAILS from Judy as your guide.  If it’s been emailed to you, you know by the TO or the CC that it’s been sent to the teacher as well.  

Any missing evals or re-evals

—COTA’s and PTA’s:  let your supervisor know, email her a list of the ones you have not yet rec’d as a reminder

—OT’s and PT:  check with Judy if you have done it and turned it in (give Judy another week to finish scanning and emailing before you panic) and/or circle back around to get the re-evals done that you know you still have pending/incomplete. 

OT’s:  just to let you know, I have written up some re-evals on kids that were absent if I knew the kids well and had all the info that I needed; I charged M time, not an E; used the same paperwork, but wrote on the cover sheet in the background space “Student absent on this date; information provided on this re-assessment is a summary status gained from previous sessions” or something to that effect.  For those kids that I did not already know everything I wanted to record, I will return to see, calling before I drive to the school to make sure they are not absent again.

OT’s:  Check with Judy to compare your lists of NEW REFERRALS pending as well. 

ALL THERAPISTS:  you need to plan a time to come to the clinic to print out your re-evals.  It can be done here using our copier more cost effectively than printing at home.  You can save your re-evals in a folder on your computer and transfer them to a portable device to bring to the clinic for quick printing, or you can pull up your re-evals from our hard drive at the clinic using your list as a guide.

04/05/2011

Stephanie Wilkerson, case manager at VBCEI has gone on maternity leave.  You contact will now be Nicole Baldwin, nicole@dhcmrb.com, 334-793-3102.

03/21/2011

Changes in Occupational Therapy Contracts: 

As of Feb/Mar I have had to make the difficult decision to terminate two of our OT contracts with Elba City Schools and with Covington County Schools.  However, the PT portion of CovCS will continue, and we still see approx three CovCS OT kids that are nearby for the time being.  We have also stopped all OT in the clinic, and all EI OT. 

We are continuing to recruit for two licensed OT’s to cover our current clinic and school/supervisory needs, and hope to return to providing OT to these outlying schools by the fall. 

On a good note, Tera Andrew, OT, has started back to work in PCS today!  Welcome back, Tera!  We missed you!

Thanks to everyone who pitched in to help during our OT shortage!  I know it’s been nothing short of chaos, but I’m looking forward to clear sailing soon.

03/13/2011
ATTENTION:  ALL THERAPISTS

You must check the lists for initial codes and not assume that the code follows the pattern of “last name, first name” The name that the child goes by and you know may not be the name that the initial code was derived from.(example: all the BRY’s in Andalusia). Sometimes we must vary from the norm to avoid duplicates.

Example: Mason Simmons in Ozark is SIMMAX not SIMMAS.

SIMMAS is a child in Dothan.

It is the therapist’s responsibility to know the correct initial code for the children they treat and use them.

Just remembered, FRS is a DODEA school, not ALSDE, and they still request GOALS on EVERY student, so you must provide them. 

Attached are the eval forms for the OT's to use. I'm sending them to the COTA's too in case you need to make copies.

Review all forms.

Save these attached forms to your desktop/computer.

COTA's can complete the Eval Cover Page and the Routing page for their therapist supervisor to speed up the process on Re-eval Day.

OT's: Pick up your "OT Eval Bucket" at the office that has all the forms printed already and organized. In the bucket, you will also find several Sensory Profile forms (a couple of different assessments), the PDMS forms, etc. (I did not include the Beery VMI--I need someone to review this and tell me what we need to copy, who needs what, if we can share it, whatever.)

We are not providing school-age goals unless the schools specifically request it.  You DO NEED to attach a goal sheet to your evals for PRESCHOOLERS.  We are not doing the STG/LTG sheets in the schools or EI anymore. We will
use those specifically for the clinic.

Treatment plans--fill these out on NEW evals. You do not need to fill out a new one for re-evals, as one should already exist and can be updated. This is an important piece of the evaluation, and provides the plan of action for you or for the assistant.

Every re-eval should have:
Cover Page
At least one page of assessment info (you choose which page or pages to use)
Recommendation page with frequency/duration
And for preschoolers, a goal page

Every new eval should have all of the above + a treatment plan.

You can scan the evals and send them out yourself, or you can turn them in at the office to be scanned and PDF'd and distributed (preferred method).  
Judy is scanning all school evals.
Freta is handling clinic and EI.
The Routing Page is to be used to clearly tell Judy and Freta who to send the eval to.  You must fill out a routing page if you are turning it into the clinic.  Provide teacher's email. Remember to include spec ed director if
needed in your school system.

We are not sending the treatment plan to the teachers, but saving it separately and sending it to the therapists only. You may also want to include your e-referral print-out in the portion sent to the therapist/assistant.

If you want to add something on the form/page you are using, you may add it on your computer so it is permanent, or you can just handwrite it anywhere on the page. You do not have to stick to this exact format. You can use empty space to add additional information.

Huge thank you to Tera for putting these together for us.

Print this email out and keep it with your eval bucket/notebook for quick reference.

All spring re-evals should be completed by the end of March and distributed to teachers prior to their IEPs, if at all possible. Please let me and Judy know if you are unable to finish your re-evals in this time frame. Remember that during "re-eval season" you do not have to see every student every day.  You may want to take a day and complete re-evals on half of your kids, then go back the next day/week and re-eval the remaining half. Bill for all of your work time, even if it is in the evening or on weekends; turn in your DL's reflecting the correct time and date of your work.

02/08/2011

OT Staffing:  Monica Downey, OT, decided Monday evening (Feb 7^th) to return back to her hometown in Indiana immediately.  She wanted everyone to know that she appreciated our southern hospitality and kindness, but she was homesick. 

02/01/2011

February 1, 2011:  Occupational Therapy Schedule and Changes

Sumlar Therapy continues to press forward, working toward rebuilding our Occupational Therapy department following the move of four OT’s last summer and fall.  Our highest priority is to recruit, hire, train and retain therapists that will be good employees and great therapists, which takes time, effort, and prayer! 

We have two new therapists to introduce:  Monica Downey, OT, from Indiana, and Susie Montes, COTA, from Texas.  Monica is living in Ozark and will be working full-time.  Susie lives in Enterprise and will be working part-time.  We will also be receiving some short-term help part-time from Sonja Lewis, a fantastically experienced OT from Montgomery.  Shari Sella (OT) started with us the second week of January, but is no longer employed with Sumlar Therapy; if you have any questions, please let me know.  We are continuing to recruit for a full-time permanent OT position, but are also awaiting Tera Andrew’s return this spring, following maternity leave.

02/01/2011

Mileage reimbursement will now be reimbursed to employees at 51 CENTS per mile, in accordance with the IRS 2011 allowable rate.

01/28/2011

New testing materials available at the clinic:

Beery VMI

School Sensory Profile

PDMS-2 (full kit)

01/27/2011

Clinic DOCUMENTATION: 

Clinic notes should remain in the clinic. 

Do not take clinic notes/folders/notebooks out of the clinic. 

Do not remove any documentation from the office or file room without checking with Judy or Freta and signing for it.

Note the sign on the front office wall, by filing cabinets:  Do Not Remove Patient Files From Front Office. 

For your review, our procedure:

Procedures: Medical Records Storage

Date Written: 08/07 Date Revised: 08/09 Sumlar Therapy Services, Inc.

Patient records are private and are to be protected according to HIPPA regulations.

Patient records are to be locked away from public view. While using the records, employees should take appropriate precautions to shield patients’ private information from public view.

In the clinic, patient records, including those kept in notebooks, should be locked in steel cabinets.

To prevent loss, permanent patient files should not be removed from the front office. Employees may review a file while remaining in the room, or may copy a report if necessary. (Remember: Evaluations are also stored on the computer network and can be accessed electronically as well.) A therapist may remove ONLY a patient’s test booklet to retest when needed.

In the field, due to the nature of the work, therapists may also have patient records in their cars, schools, patient homes and personal homes. Keep the records/notebooks out of sight and keep the vehicle locked. Take care of patient records. Guard from theft or misuse. Do not leave in plain view of others or unattended.

Loss of patient records should be reported immediately to the Office Administrator or the Executive Director. The therapist should make every effort to recover the records. The Office Administrator or Executive Director will follow current HIPPA guidelines concerning the notification of those affected.

01/24/2011

January 24^th, 2011:  W-2’s have been mailed to your home address over the weekend. 

If you do not receive your W-2 this week, please contact Brittany Sheppard at PRemployer

at 334.836.2214 or bshepard@premployerinc.com

01/24/2011

The Alabama Chapter, APTA and the Alabama Board of Physical Therapy have joined forces to introduce a bill to revise the Alabama Physical Therapy Practice Act titled the Patient Interest and Access Act (PIAA). This bill will be introduced in the 2011 Alabama legislative session. This law would dramatically improve access to physical therapy services by eliminating the need for referral from another health care professional; resulting in physical therapy care faster, with less expense, and with potentially better outcomes. PIAA also updates the physical therapy practice act in other ways to improve oversight of physical therapy services and consumer safety. The following is an update on activities related to this effort:

1.      Website launched - The PIAA website can be viewed at www.accessptalabama.com. This website contains information about the bill as well as tools and resources for promoting its passage. All PT/PTA licensees and students are encouraged to visit the website often for updates on activities and ways to move this important legislation forward. For example, a downloadable poster can be found on the site and can be placed throughout your clinic to educate all about the bill. Please encourage your patients, co-workers, family, and friends to also visit the website. While visiting the site you can sign the e-petition to support the bill and sign up to follow us on Facebook.

2.      Post Card Campaign Initiated – Postage-paid post cards to legislators are currently being distributed to PT clinics throughout the state. Each post card has a well-crafted message for legislators and room for personalized messages, if desired. The goal of the campaign is to recruit current or potential consumers of physical therapy to fill the cards out and leave them with the clinic for mailing at a later time. We hope to mail thousands of the cards to legislators at the beginning of the legislative session to make them aware of the bill and the support it has from residents of their districts. If you have not already been recruited to participate - please email David Morris at dmorris@ptalabama.org to receive your cards immediately. We need all clinics to participate to maximize this effort.

3.      Legislative Day Set - The PIAA Legislative Day will be held in Montgomery on Tuesday, April 26, 2011. Activities to promote the bill will be planned all day including a rally, press conference, and face-to-face meetings with legislators to educate them about the bill. We need all PT/PTA licensees and students to join us in this effort. We are encouraging all PT clinics throughout the state to close up for the day and send as many clinicians as possible to this event. Mark your calendars today! Details including registration and sponsorship will be coming to you shortly.

PIAA will have a significant impact on the practice of physical therapy in Alabama. To be successful, we need all of you to get involved. Help us improve the delivery of physical therapy services in Alabama today! 

01/12/2011
Tera had a beautiful baby boy!  4:05pm, Wednesday, January 12, 2011, Caleb Owen Andrew, over 8lbs, and momma’s doing well!  She just called the office (4:45PM), sounds great, and is waiting on her MIL to bring her some Chik-Fil-A!  Congratulations, Tera!