Telehealth isn't new to physical therapy, but the COVID-19 pandemic has thrust the concept into the forefront, now that most payers — including CMS — are allowing PT services to be delivered remotely. But being permitted to engage in telehealth isn't the same as understanding how to use telehealth effectively.
That's where APTA comes in.
Now available: a six-part telehealth certificate series from APTA specifically designed to help PTs and PTAs understand the ins and outs of telehealth, accompanied by elective courses that take even deeper dives into clinical decision making and the application of telehealth in specific areas of practice. Successful participants will earn a certificate of completion and gain 1.2 CEUs (physical therapy students can take the course too, but restrictions apply related to CEUs).
Course content was developed by an APTA expert advisory panel that included early adopters of telehealth as well as APTA staff and members with expertise in the creation and dissemination of educational content. Participants will have six months to complete courses on the following topics, in the order listed:
- Introduction.
- Ethical.
- Regulation.
- Administrative
- Technical.
- Clinical (launch date, April-May 2021).
In addition, beginning in May, participants will also have access to elective courses that focus on the clinical application to telehealth, often using case studies. Alan Lee, PT, DPT, PhD, well-known telehealth advocate and member of the series advisory panel calls the electives the "secret sauce" of the program.
APTA members receive discounted rates on the series. For a closer look at why and how the series was developed, check out this APTA podcast.