To help guide rehab therapists on how to adapt care delivery during the current COVID-19 pandemic, Net Health is providing free access to “Social Distancing for Rehab Therapists,” the latest topic in the company’s webinar series.

Designed for physical, occupational and speech therapists, the webinar highlights the steps to take to ensure the safety of therapists and patients, as well as how delivering Medicare Part B in the home and newly expanded telehealth services can help ensure the ongoing delivery of care, Net Health notes in a media release.

Presenters include Hilary Forman, PT, Chief Clinical Strategies Officer for HealthPro-Heritage; Rick Gawenda, PT, President of Gawenda Seminars & Consulting; Sheila Cougras, RN, Director of Compliance for Net Health; and Sarah Irey, PT, Clinical Consultant for Net Health.

“Guidance seems to change daily, and information is coming through to our industry like water gushing through a fire hose,” says webinar moderator Tannus Quatre, PT, MBA, vice president of private practice for Net Health. “Therapists need information, guidance and answers in these uncertain times.  Net Health and our partners are here to provide the support needed.”

Information available in the on-demand webinar includes reminders about critical safety procedures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as emerging best practice recommendations for therapists.  Some of the highlights presented include:

  • Set up outside tents or create a curb-side temperature monitoring system to check patients before they enter your facility.
  • Have established protocols for patients who appear at risk, such as instructing them to visit the nearest ER or urgent care clinic, or if symptoms are mild, to return home and contact their health department or physician.
  • Ask patients to wash their hands before/after their exam and remind them not to touch their face. Have CDC or other public health information readily available.
  • Follow social distancing in waiting and treatment space areas; modify seating set-up as needed to provide recommended spacing.
  • Ensure therapists monitor their own health and that of colleagues, including checking temperatures twice daily and reviewing exposure history.

The webinar also offers an overview of in-home outpatient rehab therapy under Medicare Part B, including requirements for coverage, benefits and safety precautions. Key information on telehealth includes an overview of the types of virtual services allowed, current (and rapidly changing) coverage policies, billing and coding, and the importance of ensuring HIPAA policies and procedures are carefully followed, especially with regard to consent to save video from appointments, the release continues.

For additional information on Net Health programs for rehab therapists, visit Net Health.

[Source(s): Net Health, PR Newswire]