Treating several patients with the same diagnosis or similar mobility challenges? Maybe some introductions are in order.
This month in PT in Motion magazine: an exploration of how physical therapists (PTs) are facilitating patient support groups. The basic idea is fairly simple: patients can benefit from getting to know and interact with others facing similar challenges. But as the article shows, bringing people together creates a range of additional benefits.
The article touches on several ways that PTs are leading or facilitating this kind of personal interaction, including a support and exercise group for people with osteoporosis, a group for individuals with Parkinson disease (PD); a physical therapy clinic that works with a variety of employer-based groups, and a group for individuals with limb loss. Along the way, readers get a perspective from researchers and group participants themselves, and can check out tips on starting a group.
The PTs interviewed for the story come at their group experiences with different priorities and work in different ways to empower their groups. But all share a similar perspective on the benefits of groups: they benefit patients, they're a great way for everyone—including the PT—to learn from each other, and it's an approach well within the PT's wheelhouse.
And groups help to spread the word on what PTs can do for patients, according to Rose Babcock, PT, DPT, who runs the PD group.
"[Support groups] help build dialogue and trust," Babcock tells PT in Motion. "The folks within my support group come back to me for physical therapy whenever they need it."
"The Value of Patients Sharing Experiences" is featured in the April issue of PT in Motion magazine and is open to all viewers—pass it along to nonmember colleagues to show them 1 of the benefits of belonging to APTA. Printed editions of the magazine are mailed to all members who have not opted out; digital versions are available online to members.
