Posted June 19, 2019 | Health & Wellness Blog
VBC means a reorganization of systems around the needs of the patient, necessitating shifts in perspective and culture. Switching medical provision to teams and units that integrate the full cycle of care together is another key element. The integrated practice units (IPUs) are a group of wards that care for patients with similar clinical needs.
A switch to patient-focus drives benefits that patients can see. Sixty-seven percent of Leaders said patients were more satisfied with their care in the past year, versus 39% of Followers; 70% of Leaders said patients reported a better quality of life than a year ago, compared to 46% of Followers.
Posted June 14, 2019 | Health & Wellness Blog
Recent research is showing that surgery might not be needed as often as we think. A large review estimates that 10% to 20% of surgeries might be unnecessary. The reasons for so many unneeded surgeries being performed are varied, but the most common are that more conservative options aren't tried first, or lack of knowledge by the patient and health care team.
For musculoskeletal problems like back and joint pain, sprains, and strains, seeing your PT before a surgeon can help keep you out of the operating room and get you back to life without surgery. Studies have shown that physical therapy can be just as good if not better than surgery for a multitude of conditions and carries less risk. Some examples would include rotator cuff tears, meniscal tears, spinal stenosis, low back pain, and osteoarthritis.
Physical therapy can't fix every problem, and for some patients surgery IS the best choice. However, research is showing that surgery isn't a cure-all, and is sometimes very risky. In most cases, starting with physical therapy is the right choice, and for many patients, PT is the only treatment necessary.
Posted March 24, 2019 | Health & Wellness Blog
"Neurological symptoms and abnormal findings on MR images are keys to diagnose the spinal diseases. To determine the significance of MRI abnormalities, we must take into account the (1) frequency and (2) spectrum of structural abnormalities, which may be asymptomatic. However, no large-scale study has documented abnormal findings of the cervical spine on MR image in asymptomatic subjects."
Posted March 21, 2019 | Health & Wellness Blog
Degenerative changes are commonly found in spine imaging but often occur in pain-free individuals as well as those with back pain. We sought to estimate the prevalence, by age, of common degenerative spine conditions by performing a systematic review studying the prevalence of spine degeneration on imaging in asymptomatic individuals.
Posted March 19, 2019 | Health & Wellness Blog
Pain and swelling of hips, knees, ankles, and feet and other musculoskeletal complaints among runners were comparable with those among nonrunners.
Posted March 15, 2019 | Health & Wellness Blog
An estimated 27 million Americans have some form of OA. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 2 people in the United States (US) may develop knee OA by age 85, and 1 in 4 may develop hip OA in their lifetime. Until age 50, men and women are equally affected by OA; after age 50, women are affected more than men. Over their lifetimes, 21% of overweight and 31% of obese adults are diagnosed with arthritis.
Posted March 11, 2019 | Health & Wellness Blog
Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common joint disorders, especially in adults over the age of 60. Two of the most commonly affected joints are the hip and the knee. Common symptoms are morning stiffness, where you feel like you need to get up and moving for 20 or 30 minutes before you “limber up”, creaking or popping sounds from your joint, as well as pain and swelling which is typically worse towards the end of the day.
Posted March 8, 2019 | Health & Wellness Blog
What you can do before your very first appointment—and during physical therapy—to take control of that injury-related stress? First and foremost, it’s important to come prepared for physical therapy. And no, I’m not talking about dressing appropriately and arriving on time (or even better, 15 minutes ahead of your scheduled appointment). That stuff is important, of course, but there’s one thing you can do in the days leading up to your appointment that will set you up for success.
Posted February 23, 2019 | Health & Wellness Blog
Posted February 18, 2019 | Health & Wellness Blog
"Get a good degree. Intern. Network. Perfect your resume. Practice interviewing. Network some more. Work hard. Get to work early. Stay late. Go above and beyond. Be innovative. Work even harder.
These are all common steps associated with career success. The more time you spend at work, the higher you’ll climb, right? Wrong. By now we all know the potentially life-saving benefits of exercise (decreased risk for cancer, diabetes, obesity, etc.), but the positive effects spill over into your career as well. Numerous studies have demonstrated the correlation between regular physical activity and better work performance. Get moving and these benefits could be yours."