Functional Tests and Measures for Optimal Patient Progression

During the pandemic, there was a hold on the completion of Medicare audits of therapy documentation performed to determine the medical necessity of treatments being provided. Now that the pandemic isn't impacting our daily lives as it had, therapy audits have resumed. Organizations that have experienced recent audits have stated that there has been an increased scrutiny of therapy services being provided. The outcome measures we choose to use with our patients should be considered carefully to show the medical necessity of the therapy plan of care and help to ensure we don't face payment denial. This decision requires the clinician to understand what needs to be measured along with knowledge of the psychometric properties of different outcome measures. By choosing the appropriate functional test and measure, we are providing the appropriate evidence to show the payor sources that our treatments are justified.However, there are many outcome measures available to therapists to utilize on our patients. Choosing the appropriate test can be a challenge, but it's more important than ever to make sure what we are measuring is relevant to our patients'needs.

During this course, we will discuss the psychometricproperties of functional tests and measures that will aid clinicians in choosing the most reliable and appropriate test for their patients. We will discuss the research regarding the recommended outcome measures for our patients withneurological disorders, heart failure, COPD, and for our patients who have suffered a hip fracture. We will practice administering each of these outcome measures, allowing attendees to gain confidence in choosing and administering the appropriate outcome measures for their patients.

Highlights

• Immediately increase your knowledge and confidence in choosing the most appropriate outcome measure for your patient based on the patient's deficits
• Examine methods to identify tests that have strong psychometric properties to apply to your patients' specific deficits
• Practice and review functional tests and measures appropriate for patients with neurological disorders, status post hip fracture, heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Identify tests and measures that are feasible to perform in your practice setting while still allowing for the capture of information relevant to your practice

Target Audience: Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants