SPOT On Chicago

SmartMobile at RehabCare

If you're not familiar with the Smart Mobile initiative at RehabCare, it's time to change that. Check out the video below for a preview of their new initiative to move their tracking, monitoring and paperwork tasks to a slick new iPhone/iPod interface and device.

Imagine working in an environment where you don't have to use the paper charts, 15 year old software or ancient computers as part of your daily work. Imagine a place you can grab one handheld device like an iPhone or an iPod Touch and run your entire day from it. How much time does that free up? How much more effective and connected does that allow you to be? This is the future folks. Talk about a nice working environment... holy cow. 

Full disclosure: This blog is sponsored by RehabCare. That being said I'm posting this video because of how impressive this technical initiative is. Frankly, we're proud to be part of an organization that "gets it" this much. If you've seen this technology up close and personal let us know... we'd love to hear about your experiences. Is it as ridiculously spiffy as it looks like?

Rehab Product Spotlight: EasyStand

EasyStand has been on our radar for a while now and we've found the product so interesting that we wanted to highlight it a bit more. Rather than covering it ourselves this time we went straight to the source asking EasyStand to share in their own words why you, as a rehab therapist, should know about about EasyStand. Note we are not affiliated or compensated by EasyStand in any way... we just think they're awesome. The following is their response direct from Jackie Kaufenberg at EasyStand.
Photo caption: Even though Hamza has a high level of disability, he is able to stand using the EasyStand Bantam.  Learn more about Hamza’s story here.

The EasyStand was designed over twenty years ago by a C6-7 quadriplegic.  It is a is a sit-to-stand standing frame (aka stander) for people who have a mobility related disability.  A stander is used to get relief from sitting in a wheelchair, for the medical benefits, but for kids, there are many psychological benefits to standing as well.  Most of our customers have a diagnosis of spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, or a traumatic brain injury, but anyone who uses a wheelchair can benefit from a standing program.  Our products fit kids from 28” tall up to adults 6’5” and 350 lbs.  The EasyStand is different from other types of standing frames, because a seat gradually brings the user to a standing position, so it is a very natural transition. Although funding sources rarely recognize the psychological benefits of standing, they can be some of the most important reasons to stand, especially for kids. Customers have told us that standing for kids has stimulated play, increased self-esteem, kept them focused on their school work, and better participate in activities that were meant to do standing up.

Standing frames are often prescribed by medical professionals for people to use at home on an ongoing basis.  Rehab centers, schools, and nursing homes also purchase standers to be used by many different people at their facility.  Many people have told us that they stand while doing activities that able-bodied people may sit down to do, such as read the paper, watch a movie, or eat breakfast.  Funding for standing frames is available through Medicaid and private insurance, depending on the state and the provider.  A detailed letter of medical necessity citing medical benefits specific to why your patient needs a stander is required for the greatest chance of success. The most widely accepted medical benefits of standing include:

1. Prevention of contractures (ankles, knees, and hips)
2. Improvement of range of motion (spine, hips, knees and ankles)
3. Reduction in spasticity
4. Prevention or reversal of osteoporosis and resultant hypercalciuria
5. Improvement of renal function, drainage of the urinary tract, and reduction in urinary calculi
6. Prevention of pressure ulcers through changing positions
7. Improvement in circulation as it related to orthostatic hypotension
8. Improvement in bowel function
9. Normalization of respiratory function
10. Improve Hip Integrity
11. Develop or improve motor skills
12. Maintain or re-gain bone density

If you have a client who would benefit from standing, go to our website at http://www.easystand.com to get a plethora of information on standing, including videos, funding guide, health benefits and more. You can also connect with us on our blog, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Our EasyStand rep in the Chicago area is Mike Kotlar of Provision & Asc (Phone 800-776-1779) who has demonstration units if you would like to try the EasyStand with a client. The best way to understand how the EasyStand works is to try one!

Kudos to Jackie and the team for supporting such a great concept. We're looking forward to hearing more about what they do next.

80 Online Resources for Rehab Therapists

Rather than highlighting just one of these we're bringing you more blog for your dollar today with three lists every rehabilitation therapist should look at. No matter if you are a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, a speech therapist or an assistant there are some nuggets of gold here you should take a look at. Within these three resources reside 80 different ways you can use the internet as a healthcare worker, so without further ado here are the sites:

• 5 Ways Social Media Helps Promote Good Health: This list from notable social media blog Mashable highlights ways patients are connecting with each other as well as healthcare professionals online. It covers some collaborative and educational resources as well serving as a great primer on how others are using the internet in the healthcare field.
• 25 Excellent Social Media Sites for Your Health: While this list is from 2009 it has some gems that I've never heard of that made the list. The sites listed are separated into news, fitness tools and patient activism sections.
• Top 50 Occupational Therapy Blogs: Think of this more as the top 50 rehabilitation therapy blogs. It separates blogs into categories of physical, mental, news, professional and first hand account sections. The RehabCare Campus blog, one of our sister blogs, is even featured on the list. Tons of great resources on this list including blogs from Meta-OT and Anita Hamilton over at @VirtualOT. Be sure to check it out.

Chicago Hospital Encourages Physical Therapy Over Surgery

The Times They Are A-Changin'. 

Take for example this new effort at Chicago's Swedish Covenant Hospital. Swedish has a new back pain center offering chiropractic, massage and physical therapy as precursors to invasive back procedures. Old hat you say? Keep reading. Only after these options are exhausted will they move to surgery. In fact the surgeons are on salary and earn it with or without the surgeries. 

How's that for a twist? The specialist gets paid even if they find a safer more inexpensive treatment option. How refreshing! Straight from surgeon Daniel Laich:

"I'm one of the rare neurosurgeons who spends time talking about nutrition with our patients. I tell them, 'You're changing. Your hormones are changing. Perhaps you want to get on a vitamin supplement plan that's useful.' "

Oh I bet the insurance companies LOVE this place. Here's some facts about the new back pain center at Swedish:

• $2.5 million dollar investment
• 3 neurosurgeons plus support staff
• resembles accountable care organizations
• trials of surgical strategies and devices from Europe

Check out the full article at HealthLeadersMedia and let us know what you think. Drop a comment below or shoot us a note on Twitter: @SPOTonChicago

Biggest Medicare Bust Ever: $251 Million & 36 Arrests

Reports in from Miami today are that doctors and nurses in five states are being arrested as part of the biggest Medicare fraud case in history. Attorney General Eric Holder stated in response that defrauding the healthcare system should no longer be considered "a safe bet". I for one would like to know when it WAS a safe bet. Here I thought that's been a bad idea for years now. Picking up my sarcasm? Good, I'm laying it on thick. Here's some numbers from the case:

• 5 cities with arrests (Miami, New York City, Detroit, Houston & Baton Rouge)
• 94 suspects indicted
• 36 suspects arrested
• 360+ agents involved in raids
• $251 million: Medicare fraud in this case
• $60-90 billion: Medicare fraud annually across the country

The AP writeup I saw points out the drive to clean up Medicare fraud in part is to pay for the proposed health care reform. Considering even the mobsters are looking at Medicare fraud as a potential "line of work"... the extra focus should be a good thing for us all.

Check out the full story from the Miami Herald and a follow up interview from The Wall Street Journal.

Twitter Chat with Move Forward Physical Therapy

Just a reminder to join us on 7/13 at 1:00pm cst for a Twitter chat with Move Forward Physical Therapy. The topic will be "Pregnancy and Beyond, Overcoming Aches, Pains and Incontinence". 

If you've never done a "Twitter chat" before they're very easy. 

1. Click on the Move Forward RSVP page to register
2. Go to the Tweetchat room at 12:00 CST
3. Sign in using your Twitter username
4. Chat with everyone else using the hashtag: #MovePT
5. Look for us on there: @SPOTonChicago, don't forget to say hi!

Hope to see at least some of you there... and by "some of you" we mean 452 of you. 

Make us proud Chicagoland... see you there! 

Scariest. Chicago. Artwork. Ever.

Anyone been down around the Chicago Loop today? No? Consider yourselves lucky because if you HAD been you'd be locked in your closet in the fetal position right now and crying like a baby. 

Why? 

Well let me show you:

Oh nothing big just another lovely day in ChicagOH MY GOD IT'S A GIANT EYEBALL!!!! 

Who would do something like this and set it loose on an unsuspecting world? A gentleman by the name of Tony Tasset used 9000 lbs of fiberglass and 9000 more lbs of steel to build this sculpture of weird, modled after his own eyeball. The bill to get this thing made apparently broke the six figure barrier.

In case this isn't sinking in let me lay it out clearly for you. Someone spent $100,000 to build a 30 ft eyeball that will eventually follow you to your house and eat your soul. We have officially derailed Chicagoland. If you plan to go see the sculpture you may want to prepare yourself by having your doctor call in a prescription for Xanax. You'll thank me later.

For the full story check out the Fast Company article. Thanks to Gizmodo for the picture. 

If you're REALLY into this kind of thing there's a YouTube video after the jump. You sadist you.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July gang! 

The SPOTonChicago crew will be out for the holidays until Tuesday July 6th but we'll back back with some new things then. Everyone have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend.

Shoot some fireworks for us, just make sure you have a permit. If you don't check out these displays to hold you over.

New Models of Healthcare Delivery

Heard of BlogTalkRadio? No? 

It's not just three random words jammed together. BlogTalkRadio is a network of audio blogs. Even if you're not a Physical Therapist, an Occupational Therapist or a Speech Therapist there is something there for you. Trust me. Think of it like a website full of online radio call-in shows on a variety of topics. Check it out when you get a chance but today we're looking at one in particular.

Physical Therapist Allan Besselink (@abesselink on Twitter) has a show on BlogTalkRadio that you should check out it you havent already. He does a new show every few weeks and the next one looks particularly interesting. Here's the description:

The health care system is facing a number of problems. If it's not a question of cost, it's a question of quality. And if it's not a question of quality, it's a question of accessibility and of value. The future of health care will see not only an evolution towards competent self care, but it will also see innovative changes in how health care is delivered.

Check it out 7/6/10 at 8:00pm central, Alan's guest for the night will be Dr. Sidney Robin I'll probably be listening in myself. Don't forget to tell him hello on Twitter as well.

6 Tweets for Physical Therapists in Chicago

Switching things up just a bit this week I wanted to share some of my favorite tweets today. I know what you're thinking loyal readers: "What?!? That's insane Brad! It's tweets of the week not tweets of the day!!!" Well let me assure everyone, you heard me right. The world has turned upside down and today we're doing it different. Frankly there were so many great ones today they get their own blog post. Without further ado here's what caught our interest today:

#APTA commends MedPAC Report Addressing Growth of Physical Therapy Services in Physicians’ Offices. http://tinyurl.com/268en3sWed Jun 23 19:26:50 via webAPTA
APTAtweets

OTs need to ask ourselves: are we meeting the needs of the patient, or the service. If its the service - STOP! #cot2010Thu Jun 24 14:03:54 via TweetDeckClaire Hayward
EnableOT

Heard about #Barefoot Running? Tried it yet? Concerned? Intrigued? Here is our thoughts: http://ow.ly/22GCaThu Jun 24 14:10:31 via HootSuiteExcelPhysicalTherapy
ExcelPT

Severe storm rolls through Chicago, suburbs :: Chicago Sun-Times :: Photo Gallery: http://bit.ly/avxd4x via @addthisThu Jun 24 13:21:14 via webJess Brown
jessrbpt

Mashable.com announces worldwide Social Media Day, June 30th, Event in #Chicago http://bit.ly/aOExvsThu Jun 24 13:37:30 via webSteve Sipress
stevesipress

OTs need to ask ourselves: are we meeting the needs of the patient, or the service. If its the service - STOP! #cot2010Thu Jun 24 14:03:54 via TweetDeckClaire Hayward
EnableOT