Practice & Advocacy

Gain valuable insights, resources, and strategies to strengthen your professional journey and equip yourself with knowledge and tools to help advocate for the advancement of the pelvic health physical therapy profession! Stay informed on the latest legislative issues that impact Physical Therapists (PTs), Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs), Physical Therapy Students (SPTs), and the patients and clients we serve on a state and federal level.

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Contribute to our Practice & Advocacy Series! Are you an Academy member who has legislative and advocacy experience as it relates to pelvic and abdominal health physical therapy? Our members would love to hear from you! Consider contributing an educational blog post about your experiences at APTA Capitol Hill Day or at your local state level legislative events.

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APTA Federal Forum: A Report From Capitol Hill
APTA Federal Forum: A Report From Capitol Hill

SOWH Federal Affairs Chair Gail Zitterkopf (left) and Director of Programming Sandy Hilton are among the hundreds of APTA physical therapists participating in the 2016 Federal Forum to create and support stronger PT-related legislation. Continue Reading

Postedby Gail Heather Zitterkopf
Date posted06/21/2016


Alternative Payment Models: Not just an “Ortho Thing”
Alternative Payment Models: Not just an “Ortho Thing”

The new craze is all about “alternative payment models” (APM). In January 2015, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a plan to move aggressively on its goal to transition 30% of traditional fee-for-service Medicare payments to APMs such as the Comprehensive Care Joint Replacem Continue Reading

Postedby NaKisha Robertson Jackson
Date posted05/31/2016


Scholarships and Peer Recruitment Help Attract Minorities into the Physical Therapy Profession
Scholarships and Peer Recruitment Help Attract Minorities into the Physical Therapy Profession

2016 APTA Minority Scholarship winner Kimmi Edwards, DPT, calls for expanded support of minority PT students to diversify the profession. Do you have strong feelngs about whether minorities are well represented or recruited into the physical therapy (PT) profession? Continue Reading

Date posted05/23/2016


Student Debt: The High Cost to the Physical Therapy Profession
Student Debt: The High Cost to the Physical Therapy Profession

The “real world” is approaching, and it’s becoming difficult to shake the strange feeling of impending doom that accompanies the thought of student loans. This may sound like gross hyperbole, but more than a few studies link financial stress to poor mental and physical health. Continue Reading

Date posted05/17/2016


Why Settlement of the “Improvement Standard” Lawsuit Still Matters
Why Settlement of the “Improvement Standard” Lawsuit Still Matters

It has been close to three years since the Jimmo v. Sibelius, or the “Improvement Standard,” settlement was announced. Since then, both clinicians and Medicare beneficiaries are unaware of the settlement and what it means for them. Continue Reading

Postedby Kathryn Mary Pring
Date posted03/3/2016


Part 3: ICD – 10 for the Pregnant Patient
Part 3: ICD – 10 for the Pregnant Patient

Struggling with ICD-10 for your prenatal and postpartum patients?  Why wouldn’t you be?  There are typical PT diagnosis codes such as sciatica, muscle weakness, spasm, instability, and more, but there are also a set of O codes listed for obstetric issues. Continue Reading

Postedby Kelly Huestis
Date posted01/19/2016


New Year … New Deductible!
New Year … New Deductible!

Most clients’ insurance deductibles follow the calendar year, meaning their out-of-pocket expenses start over January 1, of each year.  There are a handful of people, like state employees of Texas, whose “benefits” restart in the middle of the year.  Continue Reading

Postedby NaKisha Robertson Jackson
Date posted12/30/2015


Part 2: ICD -10 for the Pelvic Health Patient
Part 2: ICD -10 for the Pelvic Health Patient

So, now that we’ve attempted ICD-10 with an incontinence patient, let’s try something a little more challenging: pelvic pain.  Remember, not all codes are guaranteed payment or simple.  While it may be tempting to have a list of frequently used codes, some have exclusions to be mindful of. Complete Continue Reading

Postedby Kelly Huestis
Date posted09/1/2015


PART 1: ICD-10 for the Pelvic Health Patient
PART 1: ICD-10 for the Pelvic Health Patient

I’m here to walk you through some examples of typical patient codes.  Remember, this coding system is not as cookie-cutter as ICD-9 was, and it’s brand new to all of us.  So, we cannot guarantee that all payors will reimburse specific codes.    While there may be some easy crosswalks, not all codes Continue Reading

Postedby Kelly Huestis
Date posted08/18/2015


Part 1: “Let’s talk about an elephant in the room”
Part 1: “Let’s talk about an elephant in the room”

During my tenure as a pelvic health instructor for the Section on Women’s Health (SoWH), I have only had 2 male students attend the courses. Other instructors have had male students in the pelvic health courses as well, but overall, they are few and far between. Continue Reading

Postedby Lora Ann Mize
Date posted08/4/2015


ICD-10: READY … SET .. CODE!
ICD-10: READY … SET .. CODE!

ICD-10 allows for greater detail for laterality, primary encounters, external causes of injury, preventative health, as well as socioeconomic, family, and lifestyle related problems. ICD-10 Code set provides greater specificity for patient diagnosis.  It is imperative that your documentation support Continue Reading

Postedby NaKisha Robertson Jackson
Date posted07/29/2015


Federal Friday | July 15, 2015
Federal Friday | July 15, 2015

I had a great time in Washington last month, and PT Hill Day was a big success, but only the first step to getting legislation passed that helps support our profession and improves access to care. Congress is on recess from August 3rd through September 4th, so here is your chance to get to know your Continue Reading

Postedby Karen Lynne Litos
Date posted07/15/2015