JUNE 2018
-COMING UP THIS MONTHSunday, June 3 9:00 am Naugatuck clinic at Duck Day Road Race Sunday, June 3 10:00 am Caty Halpin and Heather Feiner at In A Heartbeat 5K in Wallingford
THE TWIN CITIES ROADSHOW On May 18th, Mike Durand and I had the opportunity to spend a beautiful couple of days in Minneapolis, MN.
a PT Practice with an Innovative Ownership Model and a Growth Mindset.”
We were invited by Jim Hoyme to speak at the annual meeting of Therapy Partners, a management services organization (MSO) created and lead by Jim. The organization provides services, including contracting and financial management, to a group of roughly 25 independent private physical therapy practices in and around the twin cities.
The meeting provided an opportunity for us to share what we do and how we do it. It was also a great forum to speak to the evolution of our PT for Life culture.
We started the presentation by sharing our mission statement. We spoke about our commitment to changing lives and spent some time on unmatched experiences, clinical excellence and lifelong relationGuest speakers at the event included a healthcare ships. It was a great opportunity to present an consultant, a marketing consultant, an executive ownership model different than anything those in director of a large health system, and a vice president of the room had seen. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of MN. The most rewarding part was being able to highlight Minnesota is a highly competitive and advanced market, our people. Our message that was clear and very well often considered one of the more “advanced” managed received: develop a culture that people are proud of; care states in the country. According to Jim, they have focus on customer experience; hire the best and been engaged in “pay for performance” and value-based brightest and give them tools they need to do great arrangements for years. Based on that information, this things. visit was a great opportunity for us to get a glimpse into It was an honor to be invited and it was easy to share that world. something I am extremely proud of. Mike and I were given an hour to present PTSMC’s business model to the group in a session titled, “Growing Thanks for making it possible.
ORGANIZATION INSERVICE: THAT’S WHAT THEY SAID! Thanks to the 68 employees who took the time to share their thoughts on PTSMC’s 2018 Organization Inservice. Here’s a breakdown of the survey feedback:
VENUE and EVENT TIME Everyone loved the venue atmosphere and food. Some responders shared that they felt the driving distance was too far, especially early in the morning. Aside from the survey, a statistical analysis was run to compare all employee home zip codes with both the WoodWinds and Rentschler Field venues. WoodWinds was closer for 57% of employees. Some responders suggested that breakfast start at 7:30 and program begin at 8:00, and others suggested the event be held at the end of the day. More time for mingling was wanted by many. PT FOR LIFE ACTIVITY Most liked or loved the teambuilding activity to kick off the event, citing that it was more enjoyable than previous years. Some shared that it was nice to meet people in a loud, chaotic way, though space was tight. RECOGNITION The new BRAGs format was received positively, though few suggested the personal feeling of the BRAG was lost by delivering just highlights. 80% of survey participants said the YEARS OF SERVICE presentation was great. Positive comments included loving the Sandra Boccialetti video and the heartfelt remarks by supervisors. Others felt this part was drawn out. One responder shared they felt the money awarded for years of service was insulting. #GETMOVING was enjoyed by most, with a general desire to see more of all participants.
ALAN’S PRESENTATION 98% of participants said that Alan’s presentation was great or good. The statistics shared, patient testimonial video and employee growth video all were considered great or good by 90% of those who completed the survey. Comments about Alan’s presentation centered on a thirst for more information about specific future plans. Please reach out to Alan directly for this information! MISCELLANEOUS The shirt and sock gifts were well-received, though some cited shirt sizing issues, not liking the gray color or writing. Those who watched the YEAR IN REVIEW slideshow enjoyed it, and 85% of responders liked the Special Edition of the PULSE. 2019 SUGGESTIONS A few alternative towns were suggested to make the event more central in CT, Middletown appearing most often. If anyone has an “in” at Wesleyan, let Sandy Wickman Mason know. We also received consistent and helpful responses for improving the RSVP process. FINAL THOUGHTS and COMMENTS “Proud to be part of the PTSMC family.” “One of my favorite inservices to date.” “I always leave Org. Inservice feeling energized about the company and reminded of how much I LOVE PTSMC.”
Wednesday, June 6 11:00 am Orange clinic at the Orange Business Expo Friday, June 8 6:30 pm New London clinic at Niantic Bay 10K Saturday, June 9 Waters region clinics at Night Out on Main St in Watertown Sunday, June 10 8:00 am Groton clinic at Mystic River Valley Triathlon Saturday, June 16 7:00 am Waters region clinics at Griskus Olympic Tri Sunday, June 17 10:15 am Branford and New Haven clinics at the Branford Road Race
NOW OPEN!
PTSMC of Middletown officially opened it’s doors on Friday, May 18!
StriveHub Fab 5
Travis and the entire team are experienced, knowledgeable and helpful. The facility is clean and friendly. Plus, my injury had been improving at a fast pace! - Avon
The staff is very friendly and the PTs are very knowledgeable and really care. I love all of the Aides, too. I’ve already referred several people your way. - Guilford I am very impressed with the connection my son has made with his physical therapist. I cannot believe he is walking, gaining strength, kneeling and even jogging. Thank you! - New London I love the flexibility and the time Erik took to make sure I was doing exercises correctly and without pain. Everything was fantastic. - Southbury I appreciate Meaghan’s attentiveness. Very comfortable there. Love how they all work together to make me feel better and work toward me meeting my goal. - Windsor
CLINICIAN’S CORNER BY STEVEN DECASTRO, PT, DPT
Achilles Pain, Stiffness, and Muscle Power Deficits: Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy Revision 2018 Using the Evidence to Guide Physical Therapist Practice The Orthopedic Section of the APTA continues to strive to create evidence-based practice guidelines to manage individuals with musculoskeletal impairments. Some of the most useful and information-dense means of delivering this information is via clinical practice guidelines (CPG). The most recently published guidelines focus on Achilles pain and are a revision of the original guidelines titled “Achilles Pain, Stiffness, and Muscle Power Deficits: Achilles Tendinitis” published in 2010. This updated CPG incorporates published literature from 2009 through November 2017 and supports many of the recommendations from 2010, although it “could not endorse the use of orthoses or low level laser therapy in patients with midportion Achilles tendinopathy. “ Clinical findings of midportion Achilles tendinopathy include gradual onset of pain, pain 2-6 cm proximal to Achilles insertion, pain with midportion tendon palpation, positive arc sign (swelling will move with DF/PF) and positive Royal London Hospital test (decreased tenderness to palpation when ankle is DF). The literature supports use of the VISA-A (created specifically for Achilles tendinopathy), FAAM and LEFS patient-reported outcome measures in this patient population. Physical impairment measures include ankle DF ROM, subtalar joint ROM, PF strength and endurance, static arch height, forefoot alignment, and pain with palpation. Physical performance measures include hop tests and heel-raise endurance test. Diagnostic indicators for acute tendinopathy include redness, warmth, and swelling; less than 3 month duration, and high levels of pain limiting low-level activity. Interventions should be targeted at pain and inflam-
mation via iontophoresis with dexamethasone. Loss of motion is addressed via stretching of ankle plantar flexors with knee extended and flexed (gastroc and soleus). Expert opinion suggests the use of joint and soft tissue mobilization. Painful motion can be addressed via rigid taping as there is no support for elastic taping strategies in the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy. Nonacute diagnostic indicators include no redness, warmth and swelling; greater than 3 months in duration, and pain after the onset of or after completing higher-level activity such as jumping and running. The strongest evidence to treat nonacute cases is mechanical loading exercise. Strong evidence supports the use of eccentrics, concentric/eccentric, or heavy load and slow speed exercises. Loss of motion, similar to the acute diagnosis, can be addressed with stretching of the plantar flexors. Rigid taping and use of neuromuscular exercise for lower extremity impairments is supported by expert opinion. There is theoretical evidence supporting the use of patient education to continue activity within pain tolerance and counseling on theories, risk factors, and time course of recovery.
https://www.jospt.org/doi/abs/10.2519/jospt.2018.0505
COMING IN JUNE:
Documentation Training Video
ABPTS 2018 Initial Certification Applications Now Open The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) is now accepting online applications for 2019 specialist exams. ABPTS offers board certification in 9 specialty areas of physical therapy: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiology, Geriatrics, Neurology, Oncology, Orthopaedics, Pediatrics, Sports, and Women's Health. Applications for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiology, Oncology, and Women's Health are due July 1; Geriatrics, Neurology, Orthopaedics, Pediatrics, and Sports applications are due July 31. For more information and to fill out an online application, visit www.abpts.org. If you are interested in pursuing specialization, talk with your Director about PTSMC financial support.
Hello Clinicians! Though the tiered evaluation codes were put into use a year and a half ago, they continue to be a source of questions and confusion for many. We have created the solution to clear up some of the common misconceptions about evaluation codes and provide a comprehensive refresher on the best use of these codes. Coming in June is a short video starring Mike Gans and Emily Hansen. Watch for an email from Emily with more details. HUGE shout out and thank you to Jenn Detlefsen for amazing work and time put into production of this video!
STUDENT PROGRAM UPDATE
TECHY TIPS
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT TRAVELING WITH MOBILE DEVICES
JULY 4TH PAYROLL
With July 4th being a holiday and pay date, employees will receive their direct deposit on Tuesday, July 3.
401(k)
Employees who would like to make a change to their 401(k) biweekly contributions for the 3rd quarter of 2018 must complete the request by Friday, June 16 to be effective with the July 5th payroll. Login to your account at www.jhancockpensions.com and click on Manage Contributions.
ARE YOU THE BEST YOU CAN BE?
Sandra Boccialetti will be emailing clinicians on their anniversary date confirming we have it RIGHT! We want to be sure we have all clinicians most current certifications achieved, continued education courses attended and most up-to-date website bio! Be on the lookout, review and reply with any updates that need to be added or changed. If you don’t have any updates, please respond with “all set!”
CURRENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT PTSMC Physical Therapist Southbury (part-time) Westbrook Patient Services Coordinator New Milford (evening, August 2018) Practice Liaison Admin
Physical Therapy Aide Middletown New Milford (August 2018) Waterbury Watertown Westbrook
Check PTSMC.com for our most up to date postings and feel free to share! We’re always interested in connecting with referrals of colleagues and friends.
If you have planned a vacation this year, you’re probably going to travel with a phone, tablet or a laptop. Have you thought about device security? Or data and roaming charges? Here are some tips to save you money, and possible misery, when traveling with mobile devices. Phone Service If you’re going abroad, carriers have packages for a flat rate, plus a per-minute charge. Consider how long you will be gone and how far you are traveling, and how much you will use your phone to actually call people while you’re away. A travel bundle can be a better deal than roaming charges. Make sure you also check the list of countries that this covers. Internet Access Whether you are traveling with family, or heading out solo, you will probably still want to post on social media and check your emails. To make sure you can handle your business, but not get charged for unwanted calls, keep your devices in airplane mode. Also, be sure to check with your carrier for foreign data options, since you may not always has WiFi access. Apps When traveling with mobile devices, you no longer need to carry travel guides, maps and phrase books. You can put an app for just about anything on your phone. Check to see if your apps require data, and turn that setting off. Be sure to check all of your apps. If you can’t turn the setting off, and you won’t need it while traveling, uninstall the app. You can always reinstall it when you get home. There are non-data apps available for just about anything, too.
What is the name of the boat that PTSMC took on a dinner cruise in 2016?
Physical Security A major concern while traveling is that you may damage or lose your mobile device. To avoid catastrophe, make sure to: • Password-protect your devices. Make sure you have a strong password on your laptop, phone, and tablet. • Lock up your laptop or take it with you. It’s best to not leave your laptop, or any other expensive devices, unattended in a hostel or a tent. • Keep your mobile devices close to your body so they are harder to pick-pocket. • Invest in water-proofing, even if you aren’t cruising down the Nile. A water-proof case or, even though it’s dorky, a re-sealable zipper storage bag could save your phone. • Look into travel insurance for mobile devices, and know what the travel insurance may not cover for you.
Which Division III college calls Middletown home and what is their mascot?
Most importantly, keep your emergency contact information on something other than your phone.
What famous mansion is located in Middletown?
Happy trails, and safe traveling with your mobile devices. Doomsday prepping aside, enjoy your vacation and take lots of photos. Just make sure they aren’t backing up to the cloud on your data plan!
When verifying Medicare benefits on Connex, you must have the Medicare ID#, patient’s first and last name, and date of birth. When doing a new patient intake, it is best to ask “may I have your name as it appears on your insurance card?” and confirm the spelling. It’s also helpful to repeat the ID# and birth date back to the patient. Connex will not let you obtain benefits if any of this information is incorrect. Connex tip: when entering the patient’s first name, you only need to type in the first letter. All other boxes must be completed in full.
How Well Do You Know Middletown, CT? PTSMC is new to Middletown, so we want to test your knowledge! Answer these 5 questions and send your responses to Christine.Rasile@ptsmc.com by Friday, June 22! One winner will receive a $20 gift card! What county is Middletown located in?
What is the name of the bridge that connects Middletown to Portland over the Connecticut River?
https://www.digitalcare.org/traveling-with-mobile-devices/
Life Beat
Pollen Allergy Symptom Prevention
Are you struggling with the sniffles this time of year? The tree and grass pollen season runs from late March through July. Here are a few tips to help keep symptoms at bay:
1. Keep windows and doors closed in your home and turn on the air conditioner. Change your air conditioning filter often, at least once a month during pollen season. 2. Shed your shoes when you enter your home, and shower — and rinse or wash your hair — as soon as you come in for the day. Skin and hair holds a lot of pollen, which can trigger allergic reactions while we sleep. Rinse the pollen off of your pets after they come in from outside. 3. Chow down on foods with natural antihistamine properties such as garlic, onions, citrus and apples. 4. Eat 1 to 2 teaspoons per day of locally produced bee pollen (which has no sugar) or honey, which contains small amounts of pollen, before allergy season starts. Ingesting the honey will help jumpstart your immune system against the local pollen. 5. Avoid the outdoors during peak pollenproducing times, which are typically in the early morning.
EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION
JUNE BIRTHDAYS Jessica Bennett Leslie Dunn Molly Maine Dan Rosati Chris DeLillo Josh McAdams Marianna Nasiakos Krista Iwanicki Karen Bronson Nick Catuccio Steven deCastro Ben Romann Lauren Mariotti Jillian Cristaldi Chelsea Searles Kristen Ludwig Joe Allen Hailey Lugo Casey Anthony Danielle Spinella Katie Player Jason Smutnick Kate Carlson Kasey Adinolfi
PTSMC is grateful for Jani’s willingness to meet this need for the organization. This role allows us to cover for clinics with front desk staff out and supports the opportunity to successfully train new staff while the office is more than competently covered. Making this official is a win. Jani will report to Kristen Forster, Director of Operations. We look forward to seeking opportunities for continued growth for Jani in this organization role.
Branford Groton Westbrook Orange Groton New Milford Newington Admin Watertown Watertorn Groton Plainville Watertown Newington Southbury Avon Newington New London Newington Guilford East Hampton Windsor Watertown Southington
ANNIVERSARIES Juliann Chacko
Orange Assistant Director
HAPPY 1 YEAR
Dan Delgado, Windsor PT Aide John Galer, Guilford PT Channing Harwood, Plainville PT Molly Maine, Westbrook PT Andrea Murphy, East Hampton PSC Stephen Strong, Westbrook PT Mikayla Raffone, New Haven PT Aide Brianna Spadacenta, Orange PT Aide Congratulations to new mom Jonna Tomasello, Westbrook PSA, and her husband Michael, on birth of their son, Michael Logan! Baby Michael was born on May 18 and weighed 6 lbs 15 oz.
NEW EMPLOYEES
IT’S OFFICIAL
PTSMC is happy to announce that Jani Kaszeta is officially the PTSMC Patient Services Coordinator Float. Since February 2017, Jani had been “unofficially” covering throughout PTSMC clinics while pursuing completely different career paths. Through her journey of investigating her options, Jani recently decided that PTSMC was the employer she wants to work for. She has enjoyed the opportunity to cover in multiple clinics, getting to meet many PTSMC staff, as well as sharing her extensive knowledge she has gained in the past 4+ years as a PSC. She has become a resource to many, and has embraced that role!
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Welcome to PTSMC. We’re so happy to have you!
Colby Altorelli Wallingford PT Aide
Janelle Berry Wallingford PT Aide
Amanda Bozzuto Guilford PSC
Chelsea Cordova Guilford PSC
Paulina Davidson Groton PSC
Jessica Decoteau Groton PT Aide
Leslie Dunn Groton PT Aide
Cody Filingeri Avon PT Aide
Will Gargone Westbrook PT Aide
Lauren Peladeau Groton PT
Leah Pfrommer Westbrook PT Aide
Sean Riley Wallingford PT
Katie Rymsza New London PT
Olivia Tarca Windsor PT Aide
Allie Vail Southbury PT Aide
PTSMC
CLASS OF
Doctor of Physical Therapy
High School Grads
Ashley Tighe, Quinnipiac University
Zach Ginsburg, Guilford High School Jon Savona, Xavier High School
Undergraduate Degrees Ari Athenian, New Engliand Institute of Technology Jen Catuccio, University of New England Jessica Decoteau, University of Connecticut Mia Martinez, Quinnipiac University Eleni Medici, University of Connecticut Leah Pfrommer, Quinnipiac University Liz Rubbo, Sacred Heart University Ashley Troiano, Quinnipiac University Nicole Wilson-Reyes, St. Vincent College
Congratulations to the following PTSMC employees starting PT school: Conner Gavin, University of Connecticut Kelly Hoisl, University of Connecticut Mia Martinez, Quinnipiac University Cody Morrissey, University of Connecticut Roslin Wilhelm, University of Hartford
Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.
PTSMC Happenings
Social Media Sensations
Watertown got the holiday weekend started with a clinic “beach day.”
Our Newington office at the Lucy Robbins Welles 5K on May 20.
Two offices celebrated three babies this past month! Juliann Chacko, Orange Assistant Director, and Jonna Tomasello, Westbrook PSA, were showered by their teams. Congrats to them and their families! #BabyFever