Volume 53. No.

January 2013

2013 WINTER BULLETIN

A Message From The President
What would you do for your profession?
Inside this issue:
Message from President Leadership Roster WVU Healthcare News WVPTA Sponsors NSC 2012 Student Reports WVPTA Lobby Day Education News Publication Relations & promotion News Insurance Updates 1-2 2 3-4 4 5 6 7 7 8-9

APTA Policy and 10 Payment Forum Report PT Month at CAMC WVU PT Classic Golf Scramble Call for Poster Abstracts Upcoming Events 10 11 12 13

I believe the WVPTA is about as busy and as recognized as I can remember. We are seeing membership numbers as high as they have ever been. We have an engaged and responsible board, some very strong committees made of very dedicated and competent professionals led by an experienced and motivated executive director. Its a powerful combination. It creates high standards, challenging goals, and a professional environment that is sometimes beyond words. I am very lucky and humbled to be part of it. Your WVPTA Board of Directors meets at least monthly to address the needs, challenges and opportunities afforded to its members by a rapidly changing health care model at both the federal and state level. Committee meetings also happen anywhere from monthly to

as needed to plan for and react to needs of the members with regards to education, advocacy, payment, legislation, practice issues, funding, professional development, communication, etc. Between meetings, your PT and PTA volunteers go above and beyond with the necessary time, effort, and sacrifice to produce a quality association. To see it all happen is impressive. Although the volunteers and executive leadership work due to it being in their character to do so rather than for recognition, they do truly deserve recognition and thanks from the PT professional community. Your WVPTA has been recognized earlier this year by the APTA as being the best small chapter in the country for our legislative, payer, networking, going green efforts, etc. Your WVPTA was also recognized again this winter by the APTA asking WV State Delegate Ryan Ferns, DPT, and me to present WVPTAs

President Eric Tarr, PT, DPT, MBA, OCS

We have an engaged and responsible board, some very strong committees made of very dedicated and competent professionals led by an experienced and motivated executive director. Its a powerful combination. -Eric Tarr

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Leadership Roster:
President: Eric Tarr, PT, DPT, OCS, MBA e.tarr@generationspt.com Vice President: Angela Pannell, PT, DPT angela.pannell@amedisys.com Secretary: Carrie Abraham, PT, DPT, MPH abraham@wju.edu Treasurer: Thomas Porto, PT, MPT portot@yahoo.com Chief Delegate: Travis Tarr, PT, DPT, CCCE Ttarr.gpt@gmail.com PTA Caucus Rep: Rick Stocker, LPTA,BA, CEAS rstocker44@gmail.com Federal Affairs Chair: Hugh Murray, PT hmurray@cptwv.com State Affairs Chair: Eric Shaw, PT, Cert. MDT eshaw52@comcast.net Education Chair: Mary Rhodes, PT, MPT mary.rhodes@camc.org Ethics Chair: Krissy Grubler, PT, DPT kgrubler@wju.edu Membership Chair: Timothy Hardwick, PT hardwickt@monhealth.org Nominating Chair: Mia Erickson, PT, EdD merickson@hsc.wvu.edu PAC Chair: Burt Reed, PT burt.reed@mountainriverpt.com Payer Relations: Sally Oxley,PT,CHT,OCS,CMDT soxley@hptservices.com Practice Chair: Andy Barrish, PT barrisha@ma.rr.com Public Relations & Publications: Brandon Beacom, DPT beacom2012@gmail.com Research Co-Chairs: Alison Kreger, PT, DPT, PCS akreger@wju.edu

A Message From The President CONTINUED...

legislative efforts and recommendations in D.C. for the Annual State Affairs and Payer forum. With the more success we have as a chapter, it is more and more apparent that we cannot put our head in the sand and must take even more of a leadership role in how the delivery of physical therapy education, practice, and reimbursement will evolve in the months and years to come. We have the opportunities to offer more student involvement, certification, specialization, and collaborative education. We have the opportunity to finally differentiate, on a national and state level, physical therapists from all other providers billing 97000 codes. We have the opportunity to demonstrate accountability in our profession by improving data collection and dissemination. We can completely change the reimbursement model used by CMS for the good. We can persuade the legislature to hold insurance companies accountable, so that they do not yank the rug out from your patients with more than their fair share of out of pocket costs. We have the opportunity to eliminate the rental and silent PPO networks undermining the financial stability of your practice. It takes all of us working as an association to address so many challenges. So, thank you for being members and thanks to those of you who rise to the top to tackle the challenges. For those of you that wonder if its worth it, I can tell you that nothing in my career has been so helpful and inspiring for professional development than becoming involved with the leadership of this association. Stay engaged. Get involved. There is definitely plenty of mentoring, experience, and opportunity available. Be proud of your answer when you are asked, What do you do for your profession?

Penny Kroll, PT, PhD kroll@marshall.edu

Executive Director: Nancy Tonkin nancy.tonkin@wvtmg.com 1-866-401-1810 Executive Assistant: Wanda Hymes wanda.hymes@wvtmg.com 1-866-401-1810

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WVU HEALTHCARE NEWS WVU Physical Therapy Program Celebrates 40th Anniversary of First Graduating Class
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. A lot of big things happened in 1972. Movie goers flocked to theaters to see The Godfather. Don McLean topped the charts with American Pie. TV watchers tuned into All in the Family. Atari launched its first video game. And, the West Virginia University Physical Therapy Program graduated its first class. Established in 1970, the program began as a division of the Department of Neurology in the WVU School of Medicine. Six founding faculty members, including thenChair Mary Lou Barnes, helped launch the program. Among those faculty members was John Petronis, M.S., P.T., who is still on the faculty today. In the 70s we taught our students physical therapy examination and treatment skills that were used to treat patients who were referred to us from physicians who wrote treatment prescriptions that we were expected to follow under the authority of that referring physician, Petronis, assistant chair and professor, said. Today, physical therapists still receive treatment prescriptions from physicians, but a number of states, including West Virginia, permit physical therapists to evaluate and treat patients without physician referral. Petronis said this change in patient referral status requires more comprehensive evaluation and interpretation skills from the practicing physical therapist in order to make appropriate decisions for successful outcomes for patients. Also in the 70s, our knowledge was largely obtained from clinical
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experience, but during the past two decades, there has been a consistent emphasis within the physical therapy profession to promote evidence-based clinical practice that is supported by reliable, validated research. This, in turn, has placed an added responsibility on faculty to do the research necessary to continue to progress the profession, he said. For the 27 years following the programs inception, students received a two-year Bachelor of Science degree. In 1972, 16 students graduated from the program. In the late 1990s, the program joined with the divisions of Exercise Physiology and Occupational Therapy to form the Department of Human Performance and Exercise Science within the School of Medicine. During this period, the program transitioned to a Master of Physical Therapy degree. In 2005, the program once again responded to national changes in the profession by transitioning to the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree (D.P.T.). The first D.P.T. class graduated in 2008. In addition, the division has maintained continued accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) over its entire existence. CAPTE is an accrediting agency that is nationally recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Division of Physical Therapy was established to meet healthcare needs of the citizens of West Virginia and to allow resi-

dents of the state who wished to pursue this career access to education at the states land-grant institution. Over the years, the program has fulfilled its mission admirably, MaryBeth Mandich, Ph.D., professor and chair, said. Beginning with the Class of 2013,

The Division of Physical Therapy was established to meet healthcare needs of the citizens of West Virginia and to allow residents of the state who wished to pursue this career access to education at the states land-grant institution. Over the years, the program has fulfilled its mission admirably, -Marybeth Mandich, Ph.D

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WVU HEALTHCARE NEWS, CONTINUED...

40 students per year will graduate from the program. This class size increase to current levels was in response to demographic needs of the state, which has an aging population with a high incidence of chronic disease and which ranks first in the country in incidence of disability. To date, the division has graduated more than 900 physical therapists, including the 31 students who graduated in May 2012. It currently has 14 full-time faculty members. Recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor project a 39 percent increase in need for physical therapists over the next 10 years. Each year, about 50 percent of WVU graduates stay instate, and about 20 percent practice in rural areas. Our graduates are working in the hospitals and long term care facilities of West Virginia, as well as in early intervention and public schools, Dr. Mandich said. Our graduates are also in positions of national prominence, such as in the training rooms of professional football teams and professional ballet companies. One alumnus of the program, Dave Pariser, is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the American Physical Therapy Association. Mandich also said that in the years to come, the program will continue to adapt to meet both the educational needs of its students and the healthcare needs of the patients those students will treat. As we look to the future of healthcare, we know that physical therapy is an integral part of both prevention and rehabilitation. At WVU, we will continue to prepare graduates to practice in an emerging healthcare environment, which includes direct access to physical therapists and a role for physical therapy in the management of chronic disease, she said. Our faculty and students look forward to meeting the demands of the emerging healthcare system, with its focus on health, independent living and life-long participation in whatever activities are meaningful to our patients. To celebrate 40 years of providing outstanding education, the division held a celebration on Wednesday, Nov. 28, in the WVU Health Sciences Commons Area. Chancellor for Health Sciences Christopher C. Colenda, M.D., M.P.H., and School of Medicine Dean Arthur J. Ross III, M.D., M.B.A., made remarks. This is an anniversary well worth celebrating. Our outstanding Physical Therapy Program has enabled us to improve the health and wellness of West Virginians, Dr. Ross said. The program is one of our Schools brightest shining stars. There is no finer Physical Therapy Program in the country.

TO WVPTA 2012 SPONSORS!! Amedisys Home Health Services Anatomical Designs, LLC Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) Gentiva Home Health HealthSouth Progressive Mobility and Medical
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PT Students Experience National Student Conclave 2012 in Arlington, VA

On November 2-4, 2012, a total of 1,600 PT/PTA students, including many of West Virginias brightest physical therapy students, attended this years National Student Conclave Meeting in Arlington, VA. Below are comments from a few of the students who had the opportunity to attend!
NSC last year opened my eyes to the large scope of PT, and this years conclave was just as exceptional, providing special topics from 9 sections and post -graduate topics from residencies to education on loan repayment. It has been a huge honor to have served as the Core Ambassador for the West Virginia chapter since June, and NSC allowed me to actually meet many of the people I have been working with on the Student Assembly Board of Directors. If there is a school, or APTA representative I have not gotten into contact with, please email me at aptasa.corewv@gmail.com Thank you again to all the WVPTA members for the support in the past and future you provide to all of us students and future colleagues! -Christopher DeMaria, SPTWest Virginia University With a variety of sessions to further encourage our interest in the available specialties, one in particular I chose was a session on Womens Health. I was not aware of the wide variety of options one has under the specialty and I enjoyed hearing Jennifer Chu, PT, MS, WCS explain several common mechanical dysfunctions that can occur in addition to the more commonly thought of urinary dysfunction in regards to womens health. -Olivia Novotny, SPTWest Virginia University Steven Teppers keynote address captivated the excitement and energy of the room of young professionals. We clapped, cheered, and reflected on pearls of wisdom shared with us from some of the most distinguished and influential members of the PT profession. Steves address centered on the theme of doing what you love, and loving what you do. Such a mindset is not easily maintained in the midst of this semesters constant assignments, practical exams, presentations, research projects, and the ongoing stress of preparing for our comprehensive exam at West Virginia University. -Gemma Hoxie, SPT West Virginia University The opening ceremony and keynote speaker were amazing and the title was a perfect start to the weekend Do what you love, love what you do. Throughout the halls of the hotel were hundreds of students, guests, and vendors from all areas of the United States... I was able to attend the sessions that I desired, listen to speakers that are at the forefront of our profession and their section and hear not only how they do their job but also how much they love it...There was something for everyone, whether you were interested in geriatrics, orthopaedics, aquatics, passing the NPTE, or how to handle all of the finances to get through school, there was someone available to talk to and answer your questions. -Brittany Dennison, SPTWest Virginia University

The keynote speaker, Steve Tepper, kicked off the NSC with enthusiasm and excitement that was felt throughout the assembly hall... I wished he could visit Marshall and give a lecture in his specialty because he was that good I listen [ed] to Dr. Lucy Jones give a lecture about the misconceptions we have about the senior citizens. Later, [I listened] to Dr. Tara Jo Manal explain her specialty of orthopaedics as well as give case scenarios of her experiences with patients with spondylosis. I left the conference very thankful that we came...This event is something that all students can benefit from and get a good look at the profession of physical therapy. -Alex Beelen, SPTMarshall University
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JOIN THE WVPTA ON LOBBY DAY!

March 18, 2013
The purpose of WVPTA Lobby Day is to build support and educate others about legislative issues affecting physical therapy practice. As part of Lobby Day, you will be briefed about the current status of key legislation and each participant will be provided with talking points and materials to prepare you for individual meetings with your elected officials. For strategic and consistency purposes, we urge that you attend the briefing session so you are prepared to speak with legislators. To ensure that our lobby day is a success, it will be important to make appointments with Legislators prior to your arrival. Please make your appointments with the members that represent your geographic and practice area between 10:00-2:00 p.m. For more information on your legislators, please call WV Legislative Information and Reference Center at 1-877-565-3447 or visit: www.legis.state.wv.us

To Register: To help us in planning for Lobby Day, please pre-register your attendance by March 10, 2013 by contacting Wanda Hymes at Tonkin Management Group at 345-6808 or by email at wanda.hymes@wvtmg.com

Additional Tips: Be prepared to discuss your issues a packet of information will be provided to you, but personal stories are also effective! Wear comfortable shoes and bring business cards with you. Call your legislators and make appointments prior to your trip

Schedule for WVPTA Lobby DayMarch 18, 2013 9:00 Legislative Issue Briefing Session Tonkin Management Group Offices, 2110 Kanawha Blvd., E. Charlestonparking available (call for directions) 10:00 Individual Visits with Legislators Attend Committee Meetings of Interest 11:00 Observe Senate and Floor Sessions Senate and House Galleries 12:00 Lunch on your own at the capitol 1:00 Individual Visits with Legislators or Attend Committee Meetings of Interest 2:00 Debrief at Chapter Office Issues for 2012

PT co-pay legislation to prohibit higher fees for PT service than physician services. Advocate for continuation of the payment for PTA services. Protect PT scope of practice Monitor health reform legislation Require insurance companies to pay the provider of care (assignment of benefits) Regulate rental PPO networks (silent PPOs)
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COMMITTEE NEWS
Education News
The Education Committee has had a busy and successful fall. PT After Hours took place on October 24, 2012 at six sites across West Virginia. Speakers Dina Jones, PT, PhD and Eric Shaw, PT, Cert MDT delivered a great course on the WV Physical Activity Plan and the Role of Physical Therapy. The presentation was packed with great information and resources for clinicians. Southern Hills, Hampshire Center and a special thanks to West Virginia University and Kimeran Evans, PT, DPT for all the work involved in being the host site. The use of Cisco Webex was a huge success, and we plan to continue with the same format in the future. 2013 at Stonewall Resort. We will be partnering with the West Virginia Orthopedic Society and will have some joint activities and programming. Details are still being finalized, but it is going to be an exciting event and great networking opportunity. Look for a flyer shortly after the first of the year. I want to thank all the PTs, PTAs and students who have attended our courses and programming and a huge thank you to those taking the time to fill out our surveys. These are vital to helping us offer youre the programming you want in the future. Any questions, comments or feedback for the Education Committee, email me at mary.rhodes@camc.org.
Mary Rhodes PT, MPT WVPTA Education Chair

The Winter Conference was held at Marshall Universitys PT Department. Aimee Warren, PT, MPT presented on Balance and A total of 145 PTs, PTAs and stu- Vestibular Assessment and Treatdents attended the sessions. ment. Thanks to Aimee for the Thanks to Board Member Eric great presentation and teaching Tarr PT, DPT; MBA, OCS; Tom much needed BPPV treatment Porto PT, MPT; Lori Lovern PT, techniques. Thanks to Marshall OCS; Travis Tarr, PT, MPT; Crys- University for donating their beautal Mayfield, PT and Carrie Abra- tiful facility. This was our first Go ham, PT, DPT, MPH, OCS for Green effort and overall the comproviding the WVPTA Update and ments were positive. We plan to facilitating at each of the sites. transition all future conference to Go Green. Thanks to all the host sites Marshall University, CAMC, Wheeling Mark your calendars for the Jesuit University, HealthSouth Spring Conference April 26-28,

Public Relations and Publication Committee

The WVPTA was recently recognized by the APTA as the best small chapter in the country. While there are a variety of reasons why the WVPTA is succeeding, one primary reason is our focus on communication to members and non-members alike! There are some exciting changes currently being developed with WVPTA promotion and methods of communication amongst WVPTA members, including:
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1. Advancing our social media presence. 2. Redesigning WVPTA.org for easier access of information and smoother connection to social media. 3. Newsletter design and layout changes, including improved accessibility through email templates. 4. In preparation for the legislative sessions, communication

efforts are being updated for members to receive up to the minute information and calls for support. Any questions, comments or feedback, email me at beacom2012@gmail.com.
Brandon Beacom, DPT Public Relations & Publication Chair

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Payer Relations Committee Report:

Insurance Updates
WVPTA members spoke at 4 of the 6 PEIA public meetings advocating for our patients regarding the restrictive co-pay/co-insurance policies they have in place. As a result of this Ted Cheatham, CEO of PEIA requested a meeting with PTs before his December 4 th board meeting. The call occurred December 3 rd. Ted Cheatham, Gloria Long and Dr. William Hoh were on the call from PEIA and Nancy Tonkin, Eric Tarr, Stephen Young, Mick Bates, Lori Lovern, and Sally Oxley from the WVPTA. Ted proposed a global rate for physical therapy for some post-surgical conditions that would require no co-pay. He also proposed to drop the additional $15.00 co-pay added following the 20 th visit. Mick Bates, of the Payer Relations Committee, drafted a letter to Mr. Cheatham outlining what we would like to see happen with the PEIA PT benefit. We will move forward in our discussions of an alternative payment system for some post -surgical conditions. Lori Lovern has been asked and agreed to serve as a member of the Highmark Advisory Board. Sally Oxley has agreed to be an alternate. Based on feedback they have received from the provider community, Highmark has extended their soft implementation of the Physical Medicine Management Program until December 31 st, 2012. Participation in the program poses an administrative burden, but the process has become faster with a 2 -3 day turn around to get authorizations. Apparently the new manual is still not out, so we continue to operate under the old one, allowing 20 visits per year. Under the ACA Medicaid can expand their roles to anyone who makes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. An actuarial report will be submitted to the governor outlining the cost of the program Billing and payment for BrickStreet patients seems to be going smoothly. Private insurers are doing more audits. They estimate $60 billion per year is lost to fraud and abuse. Practices should do self -audits. APTA has forms for self-auditing. Auditing Toolkit: http;//www.apta.org/Compliance/Audits/ APTA Claims Review Guidelines: http//www.apta.org/QualityManagement/ The final 2013 physician Fee Schedule rule sets the therapy cap at $1900.00, but notes that the therapy cap exceptions process will expire on December 31, 2012 unless Congress acts to extend the exceptions process. The fee schedule also includes a 26.5% across-the-board reduction to Medicare payment rates for physicians, physical therapists and other providers due to the flawed sustainable growth rate formula. If Congress acts by the end of the year, the projected cut would be averted and the aggregate impact on payment for outpatient physical therapy would be a positive 4% in 2013. CMS is collaborating with other payers to determine how many patients providers are seeing per day. PTs cannot provide free services to a MC patient. It is considered to be an inducement. Medicare Functional Reporting Program - CMS is adopting a 7-point scale to report the severity of the beneficiarys functional impairment. They are finalizing an implementation date of Jan. 1, 2013 with a 6 month testing period. The system will not be tied to payment until July 1 st, 2013. Medicare will require
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Insurance Updates continued...

reporting of the patients condition and predictive outcome using non -payable G codes. A new set of codes and modifiers will be needed on claims submitted starting January 1, 2013. The codes will permit Medicare to follow the progress of therapy as assessed through a combination of patient collected responses from one or more outcome tools and the therapists prediction of expected outcome. This process will require the use of one or more outcome tools or questionnaires that convert patient responses into a percentage of function. There are many patient survey tools of this nature both in the public and private domain that include as examples: the Oswestry, Neck Disability Index (NDI), Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) and Disability of Arm Shoulder Hand (DASH). These Functional Tools are all examples of the kind of patient survey that can assist providers in collecting needed data for determination of the appropriate G -Codes to place on Medicare claims. Please note that this Medicare reporting requirement is a distinctly different program from the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). Both utilize non-payable G-Codes, but for different purposes. The Process: At initial evaluation, providers should provide their patient an appropriate patient survey questionnaire that with reliability and validity indicates the patient intake level of function expressed as a percentage (0 -100 where 100% indicates total impairment). The patients scored questionnaire can then be used to select the appropriate G -Code and Modifier from those developed by Medicare to indicate the current status of the patient. Also at initial evaluation therapists will be asked to make a predicative assessment of the patients potential functional gain, also expressed as a percentage from 0 -100. This will require supplying a second G Code and Modifier. Therefore the therapist will need to apply clinical reasoning and judgment to make as valid a prediction of movement along the 0-100 percent functional scale determined from their selected outcome tool. Note: Two G-Codes with modifiers must be reported for each reporting episode (at initial evaluation, at 10 days, and DC) Tune in, starting December12th CMS and APTA are sponsoring webinars to explain the process. PQRS Members must begin reporting PQRS data to CMS in 2013. The penalty phase begins in 2015, but 2013 data will be used to determine the penalty. According to experts at APTA, as long as you report at least one QDC (quality data code) on one patient that makes it to the CMS database in 2013, you will be exempt from the penalty. To be eligible for the bonus payment in 2013 you must report three measures on at least 50% of your Medicare patients. The measures are submitted to CMS three ways; on the billing form (Medicare 1500), through a registry (data warehouse), or through the EHR (electronic health record). Check your EOBs to be sure the data was reported and acknowledged by CMS. Resources: http://www.apta.org/PQRS/ http:/www.cms.gov/PQRS/ http;//www.qualitynet.org/ 866-288-8912 (option #1, then #7) Medicare site visits - Due to the ACA all practices will be asked to re-validate between now and March 23, 2015. When contacted you have 60 days to respond. Wait until you are contacted by your MAC. Under this program PT practices will have a site visit before enrollment and each time a PT joins a practice or opens a new clinic. This can cause delays for clinics which CMS does not want, so notify APTA if it happens. The $523.00 enrollment fee does not apply to PTs in private practice or physicians. MSM Security is doing site visits starting July 1, 2012 and sometimes you do not even know they have been there. They are supposed to show a photo ID and a letter regarding the site visit.
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Sally Oxley, PT, CHT, OCS, Cert. MDT - Chair, Payer Relations Committee

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APTA Policy and Payment Forum Attended by WV Group: National Issues Similar to Our Own
A group of physical therapists and the executive Director of the West Virginia Physical Therapy Association attended the APTA Policy and Payment Forum in Alexandria, Virginia December 1st thru the 3rd. Representing the WV Chapter at the meetings were Nancy Tonkin Executive Director and Legislative Lobbyist; Eric Tarr PT, DPT, MBA, OCS WVPTA President; Sally Oxley PT, CHT, OCS, Cert. MDT, Payer Relations Committee Chair for WVPTA, Eric Shaw PT, Cert. MDT, Legislative Affairs Committee Chair of the WVPTA, and The Honorable Ryan Ferns DPT. The State policy portion of the programming started with a discussion of Hot Topics including dry needling, ERISA, student loan repayment, and fair copayments. It was interesting to realize that the problems we see in West Virginia are also what many other chapters experience. The dry needling issue was settled by the Board of Physical Therapy over the summer when they issued an opinion that dry needling does fall under the physical therapist scope of practice when one is competent to perform it (www.wvbopt.com to read the full Board opinion). However, we were not as lucky as our neighbor, Kentucky, in successfully completing a fair copayment bill during the 2012 legislative session. Eric Tarr PT, DPT, OCS and The Honorable Ryan Ferns PT, DPT were at the meeting to present information to attendees on West Virginias effort to pass fair copayment legislation. We had a unique situation in that Dr. Ferns in a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates. They were able to recount the twists and turns that a bill must pass through in order to be passed into law. Their presentation generated a lot of discussion on strategy and the cost of health care.

tients by high out of pocket costs. We see far too many people having to go without medically necessary physical therapist treatment because their health insurance imposes co-payments that range Attendees also were given an up- from $10 to $75 per visit. This codate on Federal Affairs and advo- payment may also be combined cacy. As of this writing most Medi- with a co-insurance payment that care spending is embroiled in the your patient has to make that ranginability of congress to come to an es from 20% to 50%. agreement on the expiring Bushera tax cuts combined with the The WVPTA will once again look to budget cuts of sequestration. This our members to support your paincludes the therapy cap, and phy- tients in lowering their out of pocksician fee schedule cuts. In addi- et financial burden. You may be tion we heard about Functional called upon to talk to your repreLimitation Reporting that starts on sentatives in Charleston and let January 1st. them know how the policies of insurance companies to limit their Check out www.apta.org/advocacy own out of pocket costs and proto get more information on the tect their profits affects the health therapy cap and other Federal Ad- of the West Virginians we serve. vocacy efforts. J. Eric Shaw PT, Cert. MDTWVPTA State Government Affairs Chair The WVPTA 2013 Legislative Agenda will be an ambitious one again as we try to ease the financial burden imposed on our pa-

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Physical Therapy Month at CAMC

Physical Therapy Month at Charleston Area Medical Center was not only about celebrating our profession, but also about honoring our fellow colleague Kathy Potterfield, PT. Kathy was truly dedicated and passionate about her career as a Physical Therapist. In honor of Kathy, there were ongoing preparations to volunteer for Special Olympics as Kathy had done in the past. We planned many activities during PT month to get people excited about our career. In each hospital division, as well as outpatient, we set up poster presentations and flyers about staying healthy and active. Some flyers included fit after 50 and Back Safety. These poster presentations not only provided information to hospital employees but also to visitors. Each Friday in October, we decided to wear special shirts to celebrate PT month, such as: Favorite sports team, black and orange shirt day, PT month t-shirt, and the favorite Ugly Shirt/Sweater day. This was a big hit this year! At Memorial Division, we planned department lunches and an ice cream social. We also played games, that were exceptionally fun. We played a pumpkin toss game, had an egg-obstacle course, pin the stem on the pumpkin, and a get to know our staff quiz. We also had weekly candy guessing games, and decorated Halloween themed bags filled with snacks and candy for everyonea new idea this year. Physical Therapy Month was a great way to have

some fun and celebrate what we love doing most. Laurie Martin, LPTA

5th Annual PT Classic Golf Scramble

The WVU Department of Physical Therapy class of 2013 hosted the 5th Annual PT Classic Golf Scramble on Sunday, October 14th at Mountaineer Golf Course in Morgantown. The students worked for several months to gather sponsors and donations for the golf scramble to help them raise money to make the trip to Combined Sections Meeting in San Diego, California next January. Friends, family, alumni, and current students of the program formed 22 teams, making this years event the biggest yet for the annual fundraiser. With the WVPTA as title sponsor, the students exceeded their fundraising goal for the event and are well on their way toward making it to San Diego. Twenty-three of the 39 students in the 3rd year class plan to attend CSM 2013, as well as many more from the 2 nd year class. The students look forward to the unique learning opportunities and are excited to represent the great state of West Virginia in San Diego.
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Stephanie Bailey, SPT WVU School of Physical Therapy

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Call for Poster Abstracts for the Spring Conference at Stonewall Jackson Resort April 26-28, 2013
Abstract Submissions Accepted: December 1, 2012 thru January 15, 2013 Posters will be displayed Saturday morning during the conference with 45 minutes scheduled for presenters to be available at their poster for a question and answer session. The top two scoring posters will be asked to present a 5-minute platform presentation Saturday. There is a $25.00 fee for submission of each abstract from practitioners and a $15.00 fee for student submissions. Payment is accepted via PayPal. This fee assists in covering the cost of room rental for the poster presentations as well as the online abstract submission site. Each individual may submit a maximum of two abstracts as the presenting author but may submit an unlimited number of abstracts as a secondary author. If an abstract is selected, the presenting author must register for the Saturday portion of the conference and is responsible for the cost of meals. All applicants must be WVPTA members or be sponsored by a member. Please contact the WVPTA office regarding sponsorship.
Research Report Title Purpose/Hypothesis Number of Subjects Materials/Methods Results Conclusions Clinical Relevance Special Interest Report Title Purpose Description Summary of Use Relevance Case Study Report Title Background/Purpose Case Description Outcomes Discussion Theory Report Title Theory/Body

All abstracts must be submitted online. Each abstract will be reviewed by three members of the Research Committee Abstract Review Team who will make the final decision regarding acceptance. Abstracts require author information with credentials, contact information, place of employment, and email. Please ensure all contact information is correct. All future correspondence may occur via email. There is a 3,125 character limit including spaces but not authors or institutions. All abstracts must include the following required fields. The WVPTA website has been expanded to allow online submissions. Additional information and samples of abstracts and posters are available on the Member News section. Please visit www.wvpta.org and log in to gain access to this section. If you have any questions regarding content or application, please contact the WVPTA Office at 304-345-6808.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS!

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SCHOOL NEWS

Blue Ridge Community & Technical College PTA Program in Martinsburg, WV By: Chrystal McDonald, PTPTA Program Director Blue Ridge Community & Technical College (CTC) has some very exciting news that we would like to share. At their spring meeting, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) granted Blue Ridge CTCs Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program their initial accreditation. We are proud to announce that we have just begun the fall semester with our first group of 20 Blue Ridge CTC PTA students. The Program Coordinator for the PTA program is Dr. Chrystal McDonald, and the Clinical Coordinator for the program is Michele Sheely. The Blue Ridge CTC PTA program is located at the Technical Center on 5550 Winchester Avenue in Martinsburg, WV. You can reach Dr. McDonald at 304-260-4380, ext 3408 with any questions or concerns that you may have about the PTA program. Another piece of very exciting news that Blue Ridge CTC would like to share is the opening of our brand new main campus building located at 13650 Apple Harvest Drive in Martinsburg, WV. This is a brand new beautiful main campus that is welcoming students for the first time this fall. We would like to provide our website (www.blueridgectc.edu) for those of you who would like to look up more information about our new campus, our PTA program, or any of the other degree and certificate programs that we offer.

Tamara Gravano, PT, DPT, GSC Assistant Professor & Director of Clinical Education Marshall University School of Physical Therapy The APTA Section on Geriatrics holds the position that physical therapists should be the exercise experts for aging adults, [and] will be a leader in providing physical therapists with a mechanism to develop and demonstrate expertise in the design and delivery of effective exercise programs for aging adults. The Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults (CEEAA) is a highly successful program for physical therapists to learn to incorporate evidence into practice, and to learn examination and treatment skills specific to the aging population in terms of examination and exercise prescription. This program is in high demand, with limited venues across the nation, and we are pleased to announce that Marshall University School of Physical Therapy and St. Marys Medical Center will be offering the three weekend course series next year. Registration is already open, and sets fill up fast, so dont delay. In order to attain the credential of "Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults" physical therapist will complete formal didactic education, and participate in supervised and mentored skills development in examination techniques, specific individual exercise prescription, and outcome measures. To learn more, Visit http://www.geriatricspt.org/pdfs/CEEAA/ Geriatrics%20CEEAA%20brochure.pdf.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
JANUARY

11-12
FEBRUARY

WVPTA Strategic Planning Meeting at the Ramada Inn, in Charleston, WV Board of Directors Conference Call *Call at noon

12
FEBRUARY

13
MARCH

Opening Day of 81st Legislative Session

Board of Directors Meeting in Charleston, WV at Chapter Office 6:00 9:00 pm

17
MARCH

18
APRIL

WVPTA Lobby Day at State Capitol, Charleston, WV WVPTA Spring Conference at Stonewall Resort

26-28

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