August 2021 PULSE

AUGUST 2021

WHEN ONE HAPPY HOUR JUST ISN’T ENOUGH… Let’s have five!

Over the last few months, I have been in several conversations with PTSMC people. Throughout those conversations a recurrent theme emerged about finding opportunities to reconnect with fellow employees or to meet new employees who joined us within the last year. I was asked during a new Physical Therapist virtual lunch if we ever “get together with colleagues from other clinics?”

Not long after that, someone mentioned how much fun they had at the corn hole tournament we held at the last PTSMC family picnic at Holiday Hill in the summer of 2019.

While we are currently ironing out the logistics, we are planning to hold five happy hours in September and October! The plan is to identify “host clinics” and invite five or six other clinics from the region to join the fun. If we can get permission from our landlords, we plan on bringing in “local food,” either delivered or via a food truck in the parking lot. The “set up team” will also bring in a selection of beverages to enjoy.

I believe that spending time together is part of what makes being part of PTSMC special. I welcome the opportunity to meet the PTSMC family, share a story, enjoy The “family feeling” sentiment that many employees value a laugh or two and reconnect with everyone. at PTSMC is something that was difficult to maintain during the pandemic. In my opinion, we are a group that I hope you will join the fun - it has been far too long! genuinely likes to be together. I am so happy to hear that many clinics are finally getting the chance to once again Details to follow soon! host events to celebrate special occasions - or just for the fun of it!

Thanks for all you do, I began to think, what could we do to bring that “family feeling” beyond the individual clinics? What came to me was HAPPY HOUR = HAPPY EMPLOYEES! I reached out to the Partners and Directors about the idea of having “regional happy hours,” which was met with overwhelming support and enthusiasm!

Congrats to New OCS & SCS Therapists!

Congratulations to Alyssa Griffo (East Hampton PT) Mike Krukiel (Wethersfield PT), and Tom Kirsch (Avon PT), who are now Board Certified Orthopaedic Specialists.

Alan

Patient Trends New Patients per Month

Visits per Month Congratulations to Quinn McAnaney, Guilford PT, who is now a Board Certified Sports Specialist Blue = Actual | Orange = Budgeted

IN THIS ISSUE

Clinician’s Corner by Rebecca Sauvé, Naugatuck Physical Therapist Thinking Outside the Box HR Buzz ADP Transition November & December Vacation Requests Who to Contact Reminders 401(k) Wellness Program Sun Protection - True or False?

Financial Webinar Survey Techy Tips by Dave Lawrence How to Get the Most Out of Your Battery Life Employee Spotlight: Jason Smutnick, Windsor Physical Therapist

StriveHub Fab 5 “The patient care and attention is excellent. I’ve been lucky enough to receive therapy from Jared (Schiffer). In my opinion, he is extremely knowledgeable, personable and just has tremendous interpersonal skills. I would go back to him if I ever need additional PT services in the future.” - Wallingford “You have amazing PT folks!! Smart, intuitive, engaged, and not passive. Sharon (Hallahan) was absolutely astounding with suggestions that were both knowledgeable and strategic for a faster recovery. I felt lucky to spend time with Sharon and hope to see her again for more PT work. Ann (Hall) and Kelley (Cahill)'s knowledge was also very helpful and makes me feel confident that my recovery is possible. The assistants were always busy helping others and making sure everything was sterilized. The space is spotless and everyone is just so gracious.”

- Essex “The most amazing people work here. It feels like home and they care about your physical health just as much as your mental health. It was just a blessing to find this business.”

- Simsbury “All staff have been knowledgeable and considerate. My recovery from hip replacement has been a great experience and I am now walking device and pain free thanks to the therapist at PTSMC. Thank you Erin (Walsh) and Joe (Mabry)!” - Waterbury ”The whole group that work there are very professional, friendly and compassionate. My therapist Erik (Olsen) is educating me and encourages me to think positive as he watches my progress.” - Southbury

CLINICIAN’S CORNER THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

By Rebecca Sauvé, PT, DPT, CHT Naugatuck Physical Therapist We live in a time of constant change. Advancements in medicine and technology are occurring continually and can provide us key opportunities to assist with our patients' recoveries. It's in everyone's best interest to see our patients get better faster and so we should utilize all the appropriate methods we can to make positive changes. In many cases technology can assist in this goal and it's therefore important for clinicians to stay abreast of the options available.

This past year has turned things upside down for the world and our industry. For instance, I don't think many of us would have guessed we'd ever find ourselves trying to perform an evaluation virtually, but here we are. Thankfully, we are problem solvers by nature and can get creative for our patients. As a company, we are fortunate to have many skilled clinicians to reach out to for ideas and support, but let's not forget to include the many other avenues we have to assist with patient care.

One of the most common tools at our patients’ fingertips are their smartphones.

There is a constantly growing number of applications (apps) being released, many of which we can utilize in therapy. Apps that aid with tracking heart rate, sleep cycle, physical activity and similar metrics can help patients monitor their overall health. We can also use apps for more specific therapy assessment and interventions like goniometry, joint proprioception, laterality, finger dexterity, balance, exercise programs and patient education. As added benefits, many of these apps are free and can motivate patients to be more compliant by gamifying their home program.

In addition to smartphones, there are many other forms of technology that can be used in physical therapy. Virtual reality (VR) and the Wii balance board are two popular tools. Therapists are using Wii-hab and VR in clinics to assist with balance and joint proprioception. With VR we can simulate walking environments for patient's making their sessions more specific to their condition as well as more engaging overall. Studies have shown that using interactive tools like the Wii increased patient's interest and ability to perform exercise.

A program called Sway allows us to measure and track concussion symptoms and provides balance information through motion sensor software on the patients smartphone. This would be an excellent tool for getting young athletes ready to return to sports.

Patients who are prehabbing for or recovering from surgery may benefit from FocusMotion, which is a smart orthotic the patient wears to provide movement data to the therapist and doctor. The patient is also able to follow a guided exercise program with real-time feedback.

With the potential of telehealth becoming more of a norm, we will need to adapt and modify how we assess our patients more accurately and effectively when we can't be physically with them. A study was done comparing wrist measurements of wrist injured and wrist healthy patients using their smartphone digital level app as a goniometer and measurements taken by a researcher with a universal goniometer. The results were that both groups were able to reliably measure their wrist motions within 2 degrees of the researcher using a universal goniometer.

This is one way we can use smartphones in telehealth situations to better collect objective measurements. Some therapists are also using the Xbox Kinect camera, which uses a motion sensor to detect movement allowing for hands free play. The camera shows the patient's movement in real-time and can help to guide them through the movement, providing biofeedback while recording sessions and progress. Motion sensor software is being widely used to analyze movement and assist with making treatment more effective for individuals.

In conclusion, technology in physical therapy can provide valuable information as well as enhancing patient motivation and compliance. We need to be sure to properly educate patients on correctly using apps as part of their exercise program. There are many options and tools available to us and as clinicians we need to be able to explore all avenues to optimize a successful outcome for our patient. Further research studies need to be done to show the efficacy of the interventions and how they tie into our evidence based practice. Included below is a list of apps for your reference.

Name of App Goniometer

Cost free

Purpose Measures AROM

KanDo

free

Measures reaction time, accuracy, and dexterity

Tilt the table

free

Use your device to tilt and move the ball to work on wrist proprioception

Labyrinth

free

Also for wrist proprioception

Orientate

free

Laterality recognition for pain and movement disorders

Recognise

$5.99

Laterality training and graded motor imagery

PainScalePainTracker Diary

free

Helps patients track and manage their pain

PT timer: stretch & exercise

free

Assists patients with keeping time, counting reps and sets

Pocket Anatomy

$.99

To aide in patient education

Mobile Measures

free

Outcome measure calculator and patient assessment tools

ICD10 Consult

free

To assist in diagnostic coding

References 1. Owens, J. et al. How New Technology Is Improving Physical Therapy. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2020 Apr; 13(2): 200–211.

2. Valdes, K. et al. Use of mobile applications in hand therapy. J Hand Ther. 2020 Apr; 33(2): 229-234.

3. Modest, J. et al. Self-measured wrist range of motion by wrist-injured and wrist-healthy study participants using a built-in iPhone feature as compared with a universal goniometer. J Hand Ther. 2019 Oct-Dec; 32 (4): 507-514.

4. Milligan, Lauren. “Advancements in PT Tech/Emerging Trends”. WebPT, July 8, 2017. https://www.webpt.com/blog/advancements-pt-techemerging-trends

CLINICAL EXCELLENCE Upcoming Courses INTERNAL COURSES Upper & Lower Extremity

August 21: 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM Lower Extremity Taught by Joe Allen & Melissa Boutagy

Concussion: A Framework To Guide Evaluation & Treatment October 23-24 PTSMC Orange Taught by Rick Purdy Not a DOCS course

1:30 PM - 5:30 PM Upper Extremity Taught by Russ Woodman

Concussion: A Framework to Evaluation & Treatment will focus on how to better assess, treat PTSMC Wallingford and manage concussion patients, from New Haven Participants can attend one session or both. Physical Therapist Rick Purdy, PT, CMTPT. Rick specializes Both subjects are DOCS requirements. in the knowledge and skills to treat concussion and vestibular patients. Participants of this course will create Vestibular models of assessment and treatment for concussion December 4 patients and utilize case studies and different patient Time & Location: TBD presentations in order to more effectively manage our Taught by Rick Purdy concussion patients. This course is intended for clinicians that have taken previous continuing education DOCS Requirement for concussions, experience working with patients with Email Mallory Mason at coned@ptsmc.com concussions and/or taken a previous Internal DOCS for all sign ups or questions.

Vestibular course.

CMS ICD-10 Guidelines 2021 1. How to select the correct ICD-10 code: a. Select a code that corresponds to a diagnosis or reason for the visit i. Specific to identify diagnosis, symptoms or treating condition ii. Signs and Symptoms codes, acceptable for reporting if diagnosis has not been established 1. Example: direct access patient, or vague dx on script b. Select full code and laterality (L/R) i. If no bilateral code is provided and the condition is bilateral, assign separate codes for both the left and right side c. Signs & Symptoms that are associated routinely with the condition should NOT be assigned as additional codes i. Ex: Avoid Osteo Arthritis Right knee AND knee pain d. Use of Z codes: may be assigned as primary e. Two diagnoses i. A diagnosis with an associated secondary process (manifestation) ii. John Wallace’s Example: Z96.651 presence of joint replacement THEN M17.11 OA right knee, (secondary) f. Coding of sequela generally requires two codes sequenced in the following order i. the condition or nature of the sequela is sequenced first. The sequela code is sequenced second. ii. Otherwise avoid use of sequela 2. Best Bet: a. Reduce Number of ICD-10 codes b. Code the most specific code i. Or “Pain Code” / Symptom code if direct access (as per CT law unable to diagnosis) c. Refer to https://www.icd10data.com/

2021 Continuing education opportunities list https://ptsmc.egnyte.com/dl/mcbFLYwFkg/2021_Clinical_Excellence_List_of_Courses.xlsx_

Use the link above for a list of PTSMC Internal, PTSMC Sponsored, and External course opportunities. Please reach out to Mallory Mason via coned@ptsmc.com if you have any questions.

PTSMC ORTHOPAEDIC RESIDENCY APPLICATION DEADLINE AUG 31st!

PTSMC Orthopaedic Residency is focused on: • Growing and honing clinical delivery skills • Preparing for orthopedic board certification exam • Preparing for potential future PTSMC clinic ownership or leadership role Residents who successfully complete the program will continue their professional development in the PTSMC Leadership Management & Development Program. ***Applicants must have a valid PT license prior to the start of the residency program***

Learn more and apply online at: www.ptsmc.com/residency Deadline to apply is August 31, 2021!

Acceptance decisions will be made in October 2021 for start date in December 2021.

Please email Danielle Dunn at danielle.dunn@ptsmc.com with any questions.

STUDENT PROGRAM UPDATE

This month, PTSMC is pleased to welcome the following students who will begin clinical rotations!

Tyler Stegmann (SHU) will be working with Josh McAdams in Danbury Lindsey Buckle (Franklin Pearce) will be working with Caitlyn Ayotte in New London.

PTSMC has partnered with a new school and looks forward to placing students from the New York Medical College DPT program.

We’re always looking for CIs for future clinicals! Reach out to Juliann Chacko, Physical Therapy Student Program Coordinator for more information: juliann.chacko@ptsmc.com

HUMAN RESOURCES CURRENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES ADP PAYROLL TRANSITION

As mentioned in the July PULSE, please be on the lookout for emails with instructions on how to register with ADP. This must be completed by all employees. The subject line will be IMPORTANT: ADP Registration Instructions Due by (date to be determined).

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER VACATION REQUESTS

Employees can submit time off requests for November and December, however, please be aware that the approval is not completed until September 25, 2021 The following is the vacation approval process. Employees may submit a vacation time request at any time during the year, however the submission and approval deadline for November and December requests is listed below. Employees may only request time off during one holiday during the November and December request period.

Submission Deadline September 15, 2021

Director Approval Deadline September 25, 2021

The approval considerations for prime-time vacation requests are as follows: • Time available • Seniority • Length of time requested (preference given to extended time vs. one day) • Appropriate staffing levels maintained

WHO TO CONTACT REMINDERS

Employee Verification Of Employment If your clinic receives a call from a bank or mortgage lender asking to verify a current employee or an employee who has resigned status please refer the caller to Sandra Boccialetti at sandra.boccialetti@ptsmc. Explain to the caller that you or your Director cannot verify employment.

If your office receives a Verification of Employment form via fax, email or scan please fax or scan the form to Sandra Boccialetti.

References For Employees If your clinic receives a call asking for a reference for a former employee, please refer the caller to Sandra Boccialetti.

401(k)

Employees who would like to make a change to their 401(k) biweekly contributions for the 4th quarter of 2021 must complete the request by Thursday, September 16th to be effective with the first 4th quarter payroll. It only takes 3 quick steps to change your contributions.

• Login https://myplan.johnhancock.com/login • Click on Manage and Contributions.

• Your current Before Tax and/or Roth contributions will be displayed. Click on the arrows to adjust your percentage then click continue at the bottom of the page.

• Sandra Boccialetti will be notified of the change and it will be effective with the October 6th payroll.

Physical Therapist Fairfield Glastonbury Naugatuck/Watertown New London Wallingford West Hartford Wethersfield Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant Groton New Milford Southbury Westbrook Executive Assistant Admin Data Analyst Admin Employer Services Specialist Admin

Patient Services Coordinator Fairfield Groton Guilford New Milford Wallingford Waterbury Westbrook Wethersfield Windsor Physical Therapy Aide Avon Danbury Essex Fairfield Glastonbury Groton Guilford Middletown New Milford Newington Orange Plainville Simsbury Waterbury Watertown Westbrook Windsor

Check www.PTSMC.com/job-openings for our most up-to-date postings, and feel free to share!

Call Jenn or email at Jenn.Detlefsen@ptsmc.com for PT Aide positions.

Call Karen or email at karen.havlicek@ptsmc.com if you are interested in another position.

CONGRATULATIONS! Congratulations to the following PT Aides who have completed the SIPTA (Skills Introduction for PT Aides) Program: Carter Gavin, Avon Emily Nixie, New London

EMPLOYEE NEWS

NEW EMPLOYEES

Keyonni Adams, New Haven Physical Therapist

Giavanna DeLucia, Branford PT Aide

Andrea Petramale, Newington PT Aide

Daniel Blais, Middletown PT Aide

Claire Gagliano, Essex PT Aide

David Plonsky, Guilford Physical Therapist

Melinda Joyce Cayetano Guilford PSC

Corrin Garraty, New London PSC

Jackie Skirkanich, Westbrook PTA

NOT PICTURED:

McKenzie Daniels Newington PSC

Rachel Helwig, Westbrook PT Aide

Malanie Young, Middletown PT Aide

Ashley Jackson-Horne, Groton PT Aide Mia Martinez, Middletown Physical Therapist Ryan McConville, Watertown PT Aide Devon Poduje, West Hartford PT Aide Madison Sides, Simsbury PT Aide Kayla Sturges, Southbury PT Aide Ryan Wills, Guilford PT Aide

Employee

Spot light Jason Smutnick, PT, MSPT, CMTPT, TPI CGFI Windsor Physical Therapist For those who have never met Jason Smutnick, Windsor Physical Therapist, you must be warned... Jason has a great sense of humor! Jason was reluctant to have to write out answers to questions for the spotlight... little did he know that’s not how these articles are created. Once he heard we wanted to chat over the phone Jason was all aboard; “Oh you want me, to talk about me (insert lots of laughter)?! I can do that!”

As Jason’s “autobiography” goes “I was born at a very young age...”

He is a Connecticut boy through and through.

He grew up in Thompson CT, went to UConn for undergrad and back to UConn for his Masters in PT. Jason has worked all over the state of Connecticut, and is settled in Windsor with his wife Pamela and 8-year-old daughter Hannon. But let’s not get ahead of things...

Jason’s undergraduate degree was in genetics. Yup you heard right, GENETICS! Coming out of college, he moved to New Mexico to work in a genetics lab. To this day Jason continues to follow the trends of the genetics world, especially the latest mRNA and COVID-19 vaccine work (you all can google that). Jason hit a point where he no longer liked staring into a microscope and realized he really liked working with people. So, back to the Northeast he went.

Jason spent a year coaching college soccer at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts. To continue coaching, he required a master’s degree. He headed back to UConn for a Masters in PT. Luckily for PTSMC, Jason got that Masters, yet did not return to coaching. He still loves the game and is a huge Liverpool fan! After graduation, Jason submitted his resume for a position at PTSMC Watertown. As Jason recalls, Sandra Boccialetti called him that same day he submitted the resume, and she was so sweet he couldn’t say no to an interview.

Shortly after, Jason walked into the Watertown clinic dressed to the nines in a full-blown suit ready for his interview...and to his surprise, there’s Partner & Director Pete Catuccio wearing khakis and a Hawaiian shirt unaware of the interview! Jason recites through more laughter, Catuccio’ s response was, “Oh Gosh, Oh Gosh, Okay, Oh Gosh, we can do this.” Jason loved it. A Hawaiian shirt? He could definitely work like that.

Three years later, President Alan Balavender approached Jason because PTSMC purchased a clinic in Stafford. Alan needed someone to take over and “right the ship.” Jason’s immediate reaction... he “didn’t want to be in a small town with a racetrack, because he grew up in a small town with a racetrack.” Jason said yes, because Alan asked, and thought maybe he would fall in love with the nostalgia of a racetrack town. Jason successfully brought life back to a slow and outdated Stafford clinic and brought it to a place where it was profitable and ready to sell. And no, he did not fall in love with the nostalgia of a racetrack town.

So which part of CT did Jason venture to next? Well, PTSMC Groton of course! He considered becoming a float PT, however Jason is incredibly passionate about the relationship side of PT. He likes being able to build relationships more than anything else and felt he needed to be in one place consistently to do that. So, for two years Jason commuted from his home in Windsor to Groton three days a week, and as he describes, he was a “stay at home dad who happened to work full time.”

In March 2013, the Windsor clinic opened under Partner & Director Brian Vo, and Jason told Brian that whenever he’s ready and needs him, he is available. After a few years of patiently waiting, Brian called and as Jason puts it, “Yes, can we do this yesterday!” When Jason started in Windsor there were three PTs (Jason, Brian, and Meaghan Brunelle).

They’ve since erupted with success and now have seven therapists. Jason remembers a time when Brian would “promise” buying a clinic therapy dog if they ever hit 1,000 visits in a month. Now they “would have to lock all the doors to prevent 1,000 visits.” Still no dog, though...

Jason’s life away from the clinic over the last year has been similar to what a lot of families with young children experienced. His daughter Hannon became home-schooled by Dad. Jason was teacher all day, dad mode after that.

The Smutnick family is thrilled to have more normalcy, especially being able to see grandparents again. Every weekend they go to his in-laws at the beach in Newport, RI or the pool at Jason’s mom’s!

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS Claire Johannesen Kevin Connellan Madison Edmunds Melissa Rivera Colleen Menard Isabela Miani Michelle Kijewski Giavanna DeLucia Michael Castleberry Emily Nixie Kendra Lennon Craig Katko McKenzie Daniels Tom Kassan Erik Schmitt Suhani Patel Erica Bruno Olivia Tarca Tyler Naef Adam Antunes Lauren Peladeau Jack Pearce Leah Szot Bella Olmstead Erik Olsen Kailey Hanks Nick Almonte Walter Coombs Casey DeLucia Andrew Kalach Tracy Caligiuri Sylwia Danowski

2 3 4 5 5 5 8 9 9 10 13 15 16 16 16 18 19 19 20 21 22 22 22 24 24 25 25 26 27 29 30 31

Wallingford Plainville Naugatuck Danbury New Milford Southington Wallingford Branford Orange New London Waterbury Essex Newington West Hartford Westbrook Westbrook Watertown Windsor East Hampton Naugatuck Groton Groton Wethersfield Guilford Southbury Lock Street Orange Branford Branford Fairfield Waterbury Newington

AUGUST ANNIVERSARIES

Shirley Siguenza Randi Gallagher Charles Henry Adam Antunes Jennifer Bastos Debra Philcox Sona Pinela Amanda Staheli Caitlyn Ayotte Ariana Kelly Roy O'Neil Jessah Doctor Hailey Boulanger Kylie Fox Sophia Shea Cynthia Mazarella Mike Rutt Sheena Trivedi

PT Aide PSC PT Aide PT Aide PT Aide PSC PT Aide PSA Physical Therapist PT Aide PT Aide PT Aide PT Aide PT Aide PT Aide PSC PT Aide PT Aide

Danbury East Hampton Guilford Naugatuck Naugatuck Naugatuck New Haven New Haven New London Newington Southbury Waterbury Watertown Watertown Watertown Watertown West Hartford Wethersfield

Rob Bass Caty Halpin

Physical Therapist Middletown Athletic Trainer/Sports Westbrook/ Medicine Coordinator Admin

Jenn Detlefsen Joe Allen

HR Coordinator Partner

Admin Newington

TECHY TIPS

By Dave Lawrence, Information Systems Coordinator

How to Get the Most Out of Your Battery Life Tip – To ensure the best use of your laptop’s battery!

DO NOT do the following: · Leave charger attached to machine 24/7 · Drop or tamper with the physical battery installed in the machine · Leave machine turned on outside of the normal working day while connected to the charger DO the following to utilize the maximum life-span of your battery: · When battery is 100% charged, unplug the charging connector · Allow the battery to drain down to approximately 10% battery life, then connect charger · When finished working for the day, shut down your laptop and allow it to cool down These practices will help to ensure you get the best experience from your laptop. At 5% battery life, your laptop will shut down to prevent damage to your machine due to an unexpected power disruption.

Congrats to our new Practice Liaison!

Congratulations to Heather Feiner, who has been hired as PTSMC’s third Practice Liaison. Heather recently completed the school year as an Athletic Trainer at Guilford High School, where she did a fantastic job providing care for Guilford athletes. Previously, Heather served as one of PTSMC’s Community Development Coordinators. Heather with take her PTSMC “PT for Life” spirit and infectious positive attitude to the role of Practice Liaison.

The Practice Liaison role has been slightly transformed with the addition of Heather. Now with Sara Gareiss, Janet Tarasuk and Heather Feiner in this position, we have broken down the PTSMC clinics into 3 territories as follows: Sara Gareiss: Danbury, Fairfield, Naugatuck, New Milford, Orange, Shelton, Southbury, Waterbury, Watertown Janet Tarasuk: Avon, East Hampton, Glastonbury, Newington, Plainville, Simsbury, Southington, West Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor Heather Feiner: Branford, Essex, Groton, Guilford, Middletown, New Haven, New London, Wallingford, Westbrook In addition to growing the physician referral community within their territories, each Practice Liaison will support any Community Development activities in their regions.

From left to right: Heather Feiner, Janet Tarasuk and Sara Gareiss.

Remember, never to expose your machine to the weather elements. Keep your machine well protected and dry at all times to reduce any preventable damage.

Congratulations Carole Pimenta On Promotion to PSA in Guilford!

Carole, a 17-year Guilford resident, arrived via San Francisco and England. Prior to joining PTSMC, Carole worked in public school education for 15 years. While in the UK, she worked as a Chartered Insurer, leading a region’s commercial insurance division, dealing with casualty and liability insurance for large companies and organizations.

Carole loves gardening, hiking, swimming, sewing, and trying new recipes. She spends her free time involved with P.E.O. International, where women celebrate and facilitate the advancement of women through education and other enrichment opportunities. She spends free time with her husband Marshall, and their two children Francesca and Michael.

When asked what excites Carole about the new position, she reflected that for the last couple of years, she knew she needed to find a new direction for her work life. Last fall, she took a very delayed “Gap Year” that proved to be a life-changer. Within a couple of weeks, she was training to become a PSC in the Guilford clinic. Quickly taking on vast quantities of new information and systems was exciting for Carole. The thing that soon became evident was that PTSMC truly is a family. The support and encouragement from Steve (Platt) and Sue (Ginsburg) meant she could learn and tackle new things head-on. Carole also commented that the whole network of support inside and outside the actual clinic has been pivotal in getting her to this point. Partner Steve Platt commented, “Carole’s career change was a gift for the Guilford clinic. Carole has brought great energy, positivity and a vision of how a larger clinic needs to operate. Her impact was immediate, and I look forward to more great things for Guilford because of Carole.”

Carole is so excited to be given a path to continue growth in her career. Being a PSA in such a busy clinic no doubt has its challenges. Carole says she is fortunate to be in a position where she is valued and her opinion is heard and respected. She plans to continue with the team to develop systems and ideas that benefit the clinicians and the clinic as a whole. She looks forward to continued learning and to facilitating that opportunity for others. As PTSMC continues to open up following COVID-19, she is eager to explore new ways to build relationships and connections within the community.

PTSMC Announces New Position: PT Aide Trainer PTSMC values and relies on our Physical Therapy Aides to play an integral part in delivering on our PT for Life culture. PT Aides are critical to keeping our clinicians’ workflows running smoothly and being attentive to our patients. PTSMC PT Aides are typically current students, some in PT school, some doing prerequisites and some completing undergraduate with PT school aspirations.

PTSMC Leadership recognizes that, once hired, getting our PT Aides trained as quickly and effectively as possible helps deliver on all of the above. In 2020, we updated our SIPTA (Skills Introduction for Physical Therapy Aides) to accelerate training and performance. In early 2021, we continued our efforts to improve PT Aide competency, with the work of Shelby Howe, Physical Therapy Aide & Transitional Rehabilitation Specialist/Personal Trainer in our Simsbury clinic.

The plan is a 3-part training program that hits on the important areas that PTSMC’s PT Aides need to excel in ASAP. The first module on Customer Service was rolled out with July new hires. It was completed as part of the PT Aide Orientation meeting. Future modules will include Anatomy & Exercises and Modalities. These will be done on a regular cadence and required for our PT Aides to attend.

Congratulations to Shelby on her new part time role as Physical Therapy Aide Trainer. Shelby is clearly passionate about teaching others and is excited to implement a universal program for the company that will help our PT Aides in the clinic and with their future endeavors as they enter into healthcare. She looks forward to continuing to learn new things from an organization perspective as her role develops at PTSMC and learning from the great role models she works with in the HR department.

Shelby loves to travel and hike in her spare time. A fun clinic fact about Shelby; she loves sneakers! Both patients and staff tease her about her sneaker collection, always sporting a different pair.

Inside Look at PTSMC Shelton!

PTSMC Shelton opened in June 2021 with Partner & Director Nick Almonte! Take a more detailed look inside our 29th clinic on our Facebook page.

A Fresh Look for New London Congrats to New London Partner & Director Scott Olmstead and staff on their recent renovations!

PTSMC Happenings!

Congratulations to the 2019-2020 Leadership Management & Development (LMDP) group who finally concluded their program in July 2021. Pictured from left to right: President Alan Balavender, Lock Street Director Danielle Butsch, Avon Physical Therapist Laura Nicklis, Watertown Physical Therapist Lindsey Scianna, Sports Medicine Coordinator & Westbrook Athletic Trainer Caty Halpin, Vice President of Operations Sandy Wickman Mason, Essex Director Craig Katko, and Vice President of Business Development Mike Durand.

Westbrook threw a baby shower for Physical Therapist Meagan Hoffman.

Practice Liaison Janet Tarasuk (left) and Wethersfield Partner & Director Kasey Adinolfi attended the Wethersfield Farmer’s Market.

Orange held a “going away” party for Nick Almonte, who recently opened PTSMC Shelton, and Dominique Riley, an Orange PT Aide who is Nick’s new PSC.

Simsbury staff did Kinesio Taping and injury assessments at Burn Boot Bamp. Pictured from left to right: Partner & Director Emily Hansen, Physical Therapist Jen Neri, and PT Aide & Transitional Rehab Specialist Shelby Howe.

SoCIAl Media Sensation Jen Neri, Simsbury Physical Therapist Meagan Hoffman, Westbrook Physical Therapist, welcomed a baby girl, Liliana Lee on July 17th.

She weighed 7lbs 4oz.

Brooke Uliano, New Haven Physical Therapist, got engaged to Giuliano Stabile.

Jen recently gave a talk at the Simsbury Senior Center on Vertigo & Vestibular disorders, and after her presentation she filmed a quick video for Instagram Stories on vertigo and how a PT can help. After sharing the stories, the marketing team compiled them into a video they shared on all social media platforms. Check out the video on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts @ptsmc.

SUN PROTECTION - TRUE OR FALSE?

Let’s preface this with a True statement: “More people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer each year than all other cancers combined, and most skin cancer is associated with sun exposure.” YIKES! It’s important to know the facts and how to protect yourself while still enjoying the outdoors, so we are taking a page from United Health Care’s July “Health Observance” article and highlighting the important things to know.

The following are excerpts from “True or false: What to know when it comes to sun protection” where Dr. Jennifer Malin, UnitedHealthcare senior medical director of oncology and genetics, brings us the facts!

True or False? Your sunscreen should have UVA and UVB protection.

True: The sunscreen aisle is overwhelming. Dr. Malin says, “Start by looking for a sunscreen that provides broad spectrum protection.

That means it filters both types of ultraviolet radiation.” The Skin Cancer Foundation says that ultraviolet A rays are present all day and can cause skin-aging and wrinkling while ultraviolet B rays are strongest during peak hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and can cause sunburns. Both types have been linked to skin cancer.

True or False? One application of sunscreen lasts all day.

False: Sunscreen should be reapplied throughout the day and SPF (sun protection factor) can help you know how often. Dr. Malin explains, “If you typically burn after 10 minutes in the sun, multiply that number by the SPF. For SPF 30, this would translate to 300 minutes, but the sunscreen will start to rub off before then. So, reapply often, at least every two hours.”

Sunscreens should also be reapplied immediately after swimming, toweling off or excessive sweating.

Engagement & Wellness Calendar August Olympic Walking Challenge

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September Financial Wellness Webinar #2

September 22nd

FINANCIAL WEBINAR SURVEY

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True or False? You should use the highest SPF possible.

False: Higher SPF does not always mean better protection. Dr. Malin says you may not need anything higher than SPF 30 if you’re applying generously and often. This is because, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, SPF 30 protects against 97% of the sun’s rays, while SPF 50 increases that just a bit – to 98%.

Connecticut Wealth Management is back in action teaching PTSMC about Financial Wellness, this time with a focus on Family Transitions. Categories that will be covered are: Elder Care/Aging Parents, New Marriages, Preparing for a new baby and others that branch off.

True or False? You can get sun damage on a cloudy day.

True: Your skin is still soaking up UV rays even on cloudy days or while driving with the windows down. To help protect skin in such situations, Dr. Malin suggests making protection part of your normal routine. “Put sunscreen on first thing in the morning, even if you aren’t thinking about going outside – be consistent.”

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What TIME of day would you prefer to tune into this Webinar LIVE? Please use the following link to weigh in:

True or False? Sunscreen is better than covering up.

False: While sunscreen is vital and should be used, Dr. Malin stresses the value of staying covered up. Wear lightweight, tightly woven hats, shirts and pants. Combine sunscreen and sun-protective clothing for your strongest protection.

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