November 17, 2020 | Net Health

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3 Ways the Digital World Can Help Your Rehab Therapy Practice

The impact of the digital world can be seen in every arena of healthcare, from robot-assisted surgeries to automated virtual scheduling assistants. In a hands-on extensive market like rehab therapy, including physical and occupational therapy and speech-language pathology, it’s a common misconception that manual labor trumps digital aid. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Over the last decade, physical and occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists have harnessed the power of the digital world to improve the quality and consistency of patient care. 

Enhance Your Rehab Therapy Practice

If you’re weary of technological advancements but are overwhelmed by a myriad of administrative and regulatory responsibilities, consider these three ways the digital world can enhance your rehab therapy practice.

1. Telehealth Services to Improve Customer Retention 

One of the most significant challenges faced by both private practice physical therapists and rehab directors of hospital rehab therapy clinics is poor adherence to treatment. One study found that 14 percent of physical therapy patients do not return for follow-up outpatient appointments. In fact, non-adherence with treatment and exercise performance could be as high as 70 percent across the board.¹  

Whether patients are discouraged by traveling to their appointment, especially post-COVID, or concerned about how much time an appointment may take, the repercussions of not completing the treatment process can lead to serious complications, like chronic pain. Telehealth services can alleviate these fears and encourage patients to continue their plan of care (POC). Not to mention, recent research shows that care delivered using telehealth with rehab therapy patients is as effective as traditional in-person care for improving functional status and achieving patient satisfaction.²

The study examined the results of analyses of 40,000+ episodes-of-care. Results also showed that telehealth is more efficient, requiring two to three fewer visits³, which can contribute to higher customer retention. In response to COVID, Net Health implemented a new telehealth service for Net Health Therapy.

2. FOTO Electronic Outcomes Management to Monitor Practice Performance

Between adapting to COVID requirements and managing the ever-evolving reporting requirements of payers and government entities, the challenges affecting rehab therapy departments appear endless. Rehab therapists consistently strive to improve their practice or department, but it’s no easy task, especially with day-to-day operations and resourcing. This is where the use of an electronic outcomes management system (OMS) can prove useful to prove the value of your care and maximize your reimbursement.

Focus on Therapeutic Outcomes (FOTO), powered by Net Health, offers an OMS that uses predictive analytics to capture and report nationally benchmarked, risk-adjusted comparisons by company, clinic, and clinician over time to improve patient care and facilitate practice growth. It’s packed with all of the features a busy therapist needs, such as risk-adjusted patient-reported outcomes to compare treatment effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. 

Plus, these analytics are updated in real-time, so therapists never have to wonder if they’re optimizing based on current data. Everything you need to know about clinic performance, quality of care, and patient engagement is immediately at your fingertips.⁴ 

3 Things You Need to Know When Choosing an Outcomes Management System

Ensure that Your Practice Stays Relevant in the Rehab Therapy Industry by Making the Right Choice

3. EHR Solution to Streamline Operations 

Electronic health records (EHR) can dramatically improve your rehab therapy practice. In reality, EHR solutions are much more than a virtual patient database. Rather, they’re forward-looking systems that support the always-changing regulations and market opportunities in the rehab therapy space, clinical documentation, and patient scheduling.

Consider Net Health® Therapy for Hospital Outpatient and Private Practice (formerly ReDoc®). Net Health Therapy is a cloud-based, fully-integrated specialized EHR solution offering clinical workflows, practice management, outcomes benchmarking, and a telehealth portal. Just one system is loaded with practical daily functions to significantly streamline practice operations.

Net Health Therapy Getting Results

Mason District Hospital recently switched to Net Health Therapy, which resulted in more than 10 minutes of time savings with each patient intake evaluation, a 23 percent growth in patient attendance, and 12 percent annual growth in all therapy patients.⁵

“Having a system that encompasses everything from scheduling to billing to patient intake to documentation has made our Rehabilitation Services Department be more productive and it has made it a more well-rounded and complete business,” said Douglas Kosier, CEO of Mason District Hospital, in a recent case study published by Net Health.

4 Ways Cloud-based EMR Solutions Improve Rehab Therapy Clinic Management

Boost patient satisfaction, improve practice management, and Grow Your Practice

Footnotes: 

1. National Center for Biotechnology Information, Manual Therapy, “Barriers to Treatment Adherence in Physiotherapy Outpatient Clinics: A Systematic Review,” June 2010. 

2, 3. Net Health, Private Practice Therapy, “2020 Study Shows: Telehealth is as Effective in Rehab Therapy as In-Person Care,” 6 November 2020. 

4.  Focus on Therapeutic Outcomes Inc, Home, “Outcomes Management System,” 6 November 2020. 

5. Net Health Therapy, Case Study, “ReDoc® Powered by xfit® Delivers for Mason District Hospital,” 6 November 2020.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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