How many times in your career have you heard the sentence, “Sorry, we are short-staffed today,”? Unfortunately, you’re likely to hear this again. Staff shortages in healthcare facilities are a growing problem, and here’s why… Ongoing staff shortages in healthcare is a real problem that makes providing patient-centered care a daunting task. As per a recent report by CNN, the United States will need to hire 2.3 million new healthcare workers by 2025 to be able to take care of … [Read more...]
Occupational Therapy
PTs in Emergency Rooms Reduce Likelihood of Emergency Revisits
A new study shows that having PTs in emergency rooms reduces the likelihood of ED revisits for falls. Each year, approximately 30% to 40% of people aged 65 years and older who live in the community fall. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, in 2014 alone, approximately 2.8 million older adults visited the emergency department (ED) for a fall-related injury. And, older adults who presented to the ED were at higher risk of ED … [Read more...]
How to Select Online CEU Courses
When shopping for continuing education, how do you choose the best online CEU courses? As a healthcare professional, you already know that you are required to obtain continuing education prior to your licensure renewal. It gets tricky, however, based on your license type (PT, OT, SLP, etc.) as well as your state of practice as CEU requirements can greatly vary. If this is not confusing enough, each state board or national body has their own terminology (wording like “contact … [Read more...]
Lack of Resources in Healthcare
What can clinicians do about a lack of resources in healthcare facilities? A lack of resources in healthcare settings has serious consequences for the quality of patient care and the professional work environment for nurses, therapists, and other healthcare providers. Having more health system resources available and making better use of the resources are two approaches that can suffice the needs of workers and meet patients’ expectations.As per data released by the … [Read more...]
How to Stay Informed on Upcoming CMS Changes
What can therapists do to be fully informed and prepared when upcoming CMS changes are lurking ahead? One of the biggest challenges to the healthcare community is keeping up to date with current regulatory requirements, particularly when it comes to rules on coverage, coding, billing, and payment for services provided to patients under Medicare or Medicaid. As the old adage goes, “The only thing that is constant about healthcare is it is always changing!”As a therapist, … [Read more...]
Caregiver Mental Health: When Caring Takes Its Toll
Caregiver mental health is often overlooked, but caregivers have an elevated risk for developing depression, anxiety, and grief-related illnesses. Caring for a family member with a physical or mental ailment is hard work! The pressure of taking care of a loved one affects not only caregiver mental health but also impacts the physical, social, and emotional health of the caregiver.Statistics on Caregiver Mental HealthAccording to the Family Caregiver Alliance, there … [Read more...]
15 Major Issues in Healthcare Employment
If you work with patients, chances are you have faced one or more of these major issues in healthcare employment. Regardless of the industry, employees work best when they can practice at their peak performance. And, while every workplace has common challenges – interpersonal conflict, communication problems, office politics, technology gaps, poor management, etc. – working in healthcare has its own set of obstacles. Among the major issues in healthcare employment, working … [Read more...]
Children’s Mental Health Awareness
Children’s mental health awareness means giving kids and teens the opportunity to flourish in their academic, personal, and social lives. While mental health is often discussed in the adult patient population, it is sometimes neglected in kids and teens. But, children’s mental health awareness is critically important! As part of their growth, children need to develop positive relationships with other children and adults. Therapists, nurses, parents, community members, and … [Read more...]