January 2018 PULSE

JANUARY 2018

PT FOR LIFE: LIVING THE DREAM on December 12th and 13th I, along with Sandy, Mike

and Peter, hosted two great groups of PTSMC clinicians at “PT for Life sessions” here at the admin office. Thank you to Alyssa Griffo, Channing Harwood, Craig Chatfield, Eric Horne, Jamie Pare, Joanna Fisher, Joe Mabry, John Galer, Jon Soderquist, Josh McAdams, Michael Lynch, Molly Maine, Nick Almonte, Samantha Huebner, Stephen Strong, Ted Fifield and Teddy Raczka for attending.

The intent of the meetings was to explore and develop what it means to be part of PTSMC’s customer-centric culture. As this training evolves, we intend to get it going much sooner in the orientation and on-boarding processes.

We shared dinner, talked about the history of our PT for Life culture and did an ice breaker event. Later we viewed a short testimonial video of PTSMC “evangelists” - those customers that love what we do and are willing to tell the world!

The rest of our time together was focused on role plays and open discussions. For this part, we broke into small groups and worked through the following scenarios: • Patient expectations • Bringing your “A game” to the initial evaluation • What makes a “perfect” initial encounter • The first five and the last five minutes of an evaluation • Direct Access: what’s the conversation?

• Net Promoter Scores: how do we talk to the patient to understand what they need/want?

2018 HOLIDAY CALENDAR New Year’s Day Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day

Monday, January 1 Monday, May 28 Wednesday, July 4 Monday, September 3 Thursday, November 22 Tuesday, December 25

-COMING UP THIS MONTHMonday, January 1 - 11:00am Guilford clinic at Frosty 5K road race Monday, January 8 Kristen Ludwig’s 6-week F.L.A.G. program begins See insert for more photos of these sessions.

Wednesday, January 10 - 11:30am Town of Guilford Employee Health Fair

After each “performance” we had great dialogue about what went well and how to make improvements. We covered a lot of ground!

Friday, January 19 - 10:00am Joe Allen’s “Oh My Aching Joints” at the Elmwood Community Center

The activities and conversations helped all of us better understand the actions and behaviors needed to create unmatched experiences. Our culture of service and commitment to lifelong relationships is one of PTSMC’s strongest differentiators – the thing that makes us a step above our competitors in the field of PT. It’s clear that going above and beyond for customers is an essential part of who we are and what we do.

Wedneday, January 24 - 11:15am Rick Purdy’s Vertigo presentation at the Branford YMCA Thursday, January 25 - 12 - 5pm Mid-year Management Meeting

We Have A Winner!

Happy New Year to all - cheers to “living the dream!”

StriveHub Fab 5 After only 3 visits with Miranda, my range of motion and strength are far beyond what I had expected in only a week.

- Groton patient I received the information I was seeking on the visit, which was how to treat my hamstring injury and being instructed on exercises to do and those to avoid. -Southington patient The expertise of the staff, as well as the guidance that they give and the professional and friendly way they communicate what they are doing and why. I understand “the big picture” which is very important to me. -Newington patient

I've done A LOT of PT in my life. PTSMC is far above the best place I have been. Great therapists, organized, friendly, clean. They don't rush you. Proper warm up and ice down.

Fabulous. - Orange patient My personal PT, Stephen, is outstanding. Due to long-term, chronic problems of entire spine to cervical and occipital, I've needed PT numerous times over decades (and in various states where living). He is certainly one of the best I've been to. Stephen knows exactly where the (many) points and problems are, and after every session I feel incredibly better! -Westbrook patient

PTSMC Guilford won our 1st Annual Ugly Sweater Contest by a landslide! All of this year’s entries were fun to look at, but Guilford’s creative approach likely gave them a huge boost in the voting!

CLINICIAN’S CORNER

BY JEFF DALEY, PT, DPT

“Is It My Sacroiliac Joint?”

Patients that present with low back or lumbopelvic pain are difficult to diagnose, often because of similarities in pain patterns between pathologies in the regions. We can find out a lot from a good history: What was the mechanism? Were they recently pregnant?

Did they have a fall recently or in the past? What positions or movements provoke or alleviate their pain? Do they have pain that centralizes with certain positions? Do they have radicular symptoms in a specific dermotomal or myotomal pattern? All of these questions - and more - can lead to strong theories, but being able to quickly and effectively rule in/out pathologies will help our treatment plan become more specific. Methods and tools vary between clinicians, but I have found strong utility in using information from a Laslett article from 2005: Diagnosis of Sacroiliac Joint Pain: Validity of individual provocation tests and composites of tests .

The goal of the researchers was to investigate a composition of SIJ provocation tests versus a diagnostic injection to predict pain of SI origin. They used five different SI provocative tests (Distraction, Compression, Thigh Thrust, Gaenslen’s, Sacral Thrust). 16 of the patients included in the study were identified as having SI pain using the “Gold Standard” of a diagnostic injection. Although this is a small sample size, the injection is currently the most reliable diagnostic method for SI pain. They determined that Gaenslen’s did not add any diagnostic utility to the composite of clinical tests, leading me to refer to the 4 remaining tests going forward.

All patients identified as (+) for SI pain had at least 1 positive provocative test, leading the researchers to conclude that pain of SI origin can be ruled out if a patient tests negative on all 4 provocative maneuvers. When using this composite on your patients, consider that the Thigh Thrust and Distraction tests have the highest individual sensitivity and specificity, respectively, and are very effective for you and your patient when used first. The patient will be able to remain in supine and the tests can be performed effectively in less than 1 minute. When both tests are used together, they have a Sn of 0.88, Sp of 0.78 and a +LR of 4.0 and a –LR of -0.16. You can confidently stop provocative testing if either both tests are negative or both are positive.

When attempting to determine the target treatment area and origin of pain, I find that a good history and lower quarter screening followed by investigating whether there is a directional preference or centralizing maneuver to be a good jumping off point. This helps me decide if I will be leaning toward treating true lumbar pain, or not. If you suspect SI pain may be the case, performing the provocative tests described above can quickly lead to more confident answers and clarify further examination decisions because of their diagnostic utility. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16038856

CLINICAL EDUCATION Case Discussions: Dates have been set for the start of 2018! Case discussions will be held on January 10, February 14, March 2, April 18, May 23. All will run from 10:30 - 11:30am.

Continuing Education Course Schedule: February 14 - Medical Screening via Medbridge March 24 & 25 - Graston M1 with Jackie Shakar, PTSMC Wallingford September 22 - Examination and Treatment of the Foot & Ankle with Rob Martin, location TBD October 27 & 28 - Mulligan Upper Quarter with Russell Woodman, location TBD Additional internal courses are being planned for May, August and November. To register for any of the upcoming courses, email ConEd@ptsmc.com

STUDENT PROGRAM UPDATE Welcome and best of luck to the following DPT students starting their

clinical affiliations this month:

STUDENT PROGRAM UPDATE

Victoria Renner is a student from Concordia University St. Paul. She will be in our Avon clinic from January through March with Eric Horne.

Ashley Tighe is a student from Quinnipiac University who has, up to now, been working as an aide in Wallingford. She will be in our New Haven clinic with Ted Raczka through the end of March.

2018 MILEAGE RATE INCREASE PHYSICAL THERAPIST CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS

All CT licensed PTs and PTAs are required to maintain 20 hours of continuing education per year as a licensure requirement. All internal and external continuing education employees complete is recorded in HR Online.

Employees can view and print courses they have completed while employed at PTSMC by clicking on the ‘Training Taken’ tab under Training, Education and Skills.

Employees can view their continuing education expenses for each year by clicking on the ‘Custom Fields’ tab under Personal Information.

All clinicians and athletic trainers: be on the lookout for an email from the HR department arriving around your anniversary date. The email will include your most current continuing education history and any certifications we know were achieved in the year. We will also include your website bios. This is a great time to review and let us know if we have it RIGHT, so that you are the best you can be on paper!

2018 THREE PAYROLL MONTHS

There will be three payrolls in January and August 2018.

The third payroll of each month will not have medical, dental or Colonial deductions.

BENEFICIARIES

Employees can update beneficiary information on Employee Navigator and John Hancock at any time.

Beginning January 1, the standard mileage rate will increase to 54.5 cents per mile. Updated expense reimbursement forms will be emailed to employees and available under Human Resources

by January 5.

6 MONEY TIPS TO KICK OFF THE NEW YEAR JIM HUNGERFORD

2017 W2s

Here are a few solid New Year’s money tips to get you started if you’re looking to make 2018 more financially prosperous than 2017:

DIALOGUE FOR DEVELOPMENT & GOALS AND OBJECTIVES TIME IS HERE!

File Your Taxes Sooner The official tax deadline isn’t until April 17, but that doesn’t mean you should wait that long to start! Most tax experts recommend filing taxes sooner rather than later. That way if you get a refund, it's in your bank account, invested or paying down debt sooner. As always, if you receive a large refund from Uncle Sam, you should have your withholding adjusted via Form W-4 with HR to get more in your paycheck now.

All employees will receive a paper copy of their W2 mailed to their home address by January 31. W2s will be available around January 15 in Paychex Flex in your Dashboard under Tax Documents.

Employees who participate in the Dialogue for Development and Personal Goals and Objective process will be receiving a communication either verbal or email from your Director to schedule your meeting time.

Sandra Boccialetti will be emailing all employees the following information by position.

• D4D form to be completed • Performance considerations • Goals and Objective SMART format samples Want to review prior D4Ds and Goals and Objectives? They are located in Human Resources under Employee Documents. * PTSMC employees who work less than 20 hours may or may not participate in this process. Check with your supervisor.

CURRENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT PTSMC Physical Therapist New London

Senior Administrative Assistant Admin

Physical Therapy Aide Branford East Hampton Watertown

Check PTSMC.com for our most up to date postings and feel free to share! We’re always interested in connecting with referrals of colleagues and friends.

Medicare Advantage plans “REPLACE” Medicare as the patient’s health insurance. If a patient gives you an ID card with any of the following prefixes, do not enter the Medicare insurance and ID# into the case as a secondary insurance.

Connecticare: Plans staring with “M” Aetna – Plans starting with “MEB” Anthem BCBS – “VOU or VOI” - (“VOU” plans always have Medicaid as secondary – please obtain that ID# also) United Healthcare and AARP plans do not have any noted differences in their ID#s but they do have a 5-digit group number instead of 6 digits.

Medicare Deductible and Therapy Cap: The Medicare deductible is still $183 for 2018, but the cap is increasing to $2010.00 for both PT/speech therapy and OT. Both EMR systems will reflect the change.

1 NEW YEAR = 365 NEW OPPORTUNITIES!

Refinance Your Loans Refinancing any of your loans can save money, whether you have a mortgage, auto debt or student loans. For example, you could save more than $3,000 total if you refinance a $30,000 student loan from 6.5% interest to 4.5%. You’ll typically need to have a credit score of 750 or higher to qualify for the best interest rates and zero negative marks on your credit report.

Cut Out Unnecessary Expenses Take time to look at your monthly expenses and cut out unnecessary spending. Are you subscribed to a magazine you never read or paying for a Spotify membership you never use? All these extra fees add up quickly. For example, the average cable subscription costs $100 a month. If you find yourself watching the same two shows every week, subscribe to Netflix or Hulu instead for $7.99 a month. That’s an extra $92 a month or $1,104 a year.

Pay Off More Debt Adding extra money to an automatic monthly payment plan is one of the easiest ways to be debt free faster. Even a small amount adds up quickly. For example, if you pay an extra $25 every month on a $100,000 mortgage at 4% interest, you’ll pay off your debt 2.4 years faster and save $6,327 on interest.

Review beneficiaries listed on your retirement plans and insurance policies Beneficiaries named in these accounts take precedent over any legal document you create. Therefore, you need to review each of these to ensure your beneficiaries are current and your legal documents reflect your wishes. This is especially important if you've had a recent family event such as a marriage, birth of a child, or a divorce.

Review the adequacy of your insurance especially if you have kids Consider buying life insurance (or increasing what you have) to protect your children’s future. The good news is that term life insurance can be relatively inexpensive. Remember, for 2-earner families, you may want to insure both parents’ incomes.

lIFE BEAT

EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

Tuscan Chicken Skillet 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 lb chicken breast tenderloins 1 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp of thyme 1/2 onion, diced 3 cloves of garlic, minced 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced 14 oz can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed 14 oz can diced canned tomatoes 1/4 tsp of chili flakes Salt and pepper to taste Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add the chicken and brown for 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer and brown, working in batches, a few minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and sundried tomatoes. Sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes, spices and beans. Transfer the chicken back to the pan and spoon some of the sauce and vegetables over top of the chicken. Cook, covered, on the stove top until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is bubbling; about 10 minutes. Return the mushrooms to the pan. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot and garnish with parsley.

Kate Carlson, Watertown PSC is this month’s Social Media Sensation.

Not only does she regularly share social media content for her clinic, but she features Watertown as a Top Workplace and community supporter! This month, Kate featured Santa Catuccio and his elves hard at work!

Ken Kosior Emily Flaig Kenny Medina Ali Filer Bethany Grady Nicolas Sauerbrunn Sue Ginsburg Jamie Pare Danielle Dunn Courtney Duff Kasey Bascetta Maddison Fucci Kristina Lipeika Jane Rosadini Kristen Forster Caleigh Low

January 2 January 3 January 3 January 4 January 6 January 6 January 15 January 18 January 19 January 21 January 25 January 26 January 26 January 26 January 28 January 28

Wallingford Groton Waterbury Southington Groton Windsor Guilford Avon Wallingford New London Windsor Guilford Watertown Guilford Admin Wallingford

ANNIVERSARIES

CONGRATULATIONS ON CELEBRATING YOUR 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! Cathryn Davenport, Guilford PSC Amanda Moreira, Guilford PT Aide Noah Rattet, Guilford PT Aide Amy Zrybko, Guilford PT Aide

hOLIDAY TRIVIA WINNER

Congratulations to Kate Carlson from Watertown for winning the Holiday Trivia Contest in the December PULSE! Congratulations to Sandra Boccialetti for being named Membership Director for the HR Association of Connecticut.

Congratulations to Kayla Thomas, Naugatuck PSC, for completing her Masters in Exercise Science with a concentration in Sports Psychology.

NEW EMPLOYEES

Welcome to PTSMC. We’re so happy to have you!

Kelly Cameron Guilford PSC

Nicholas Catuccio Watertown PT Aide

Emily Flaig Groton PT Aide

Caroline Kelleher New London PT Aide

Mia Martinez Wallingford PT Aide

Cara McEvoy Branford PSC

Justin Santamaria Guilford PT Aide

Ashley Claud Avon PT Aide

Heidi Klein-Robbenhaar Wallingford PSC

Eli Rosen Southbury PT Aide

Emily Searle Branford PT

PTSMC Happenings PT For Life: Living the Dream Sessions at Admin

A Watertown PT Graduation Ceremony!

New London’s Scott Olmstead became an American citizen!

Naugatuck Grand Reopening on December 14

Holiday Food Drive Fun

Holiday Celebrations All Over CT!