Physical Therapy- help me to understand

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Hi. I am one year into my first nursing job in LTC. Can anyone tell me HOW the world of Physical Therapy works in LTC. Keeping in mind I didn't major in Medicare and the World of Reimbursement/Insurance......is there a monetary reason why my facility would "seemingly" (to me) push Physical Therapy on many patients, although they are, say 90 years old and just plain tired (and many ready for Hospice) If you could help me to understand...your comments and insights are appreciated.

Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.
The topic is the benefit versus (real or perceived) cost of therapy. Therapy is a highly skilled area of expertise that benefits all kinds of patients in all kinds of health care settings. It also saves us all billions in health care costs. Nobody said you are an idiot. But you are in fact in over your head, and have a tough enough job as it is without concerning yourself with issues that are not within your scope, and yet you still apparently feel qualified and determined enough to discuss therapy plans of care and billing issues with your patients.

I have NEVER discussed plans of care OR billing issues with my patients. It seems like you don't read my entire posts, and that you like to put words in my mouth.

I have ALWAYS directed them to the proper channels. As I said, I have been on the LISTENING end of conversations, I discuss nothing.

I was just talking about things I've observed in the past. I was trying to point out that I've never come across a therapist who didn't have the best interest of the patient in mind but I have come across facilities that don't exactly do a great job.

I know what I know, I see what I see. I may discuss it here on AN or with staff at the facility I worked at but never the patients. I understand what my scope is. I also know the benefits of therapy and have always been an advocate for it.

Specializes in Case Management, LTC,Rehab.

After reading most of the posts let me say because it seems like your intial question was not answered.....

Age has nothing to do if a patient can/cannot benefit from rehab. In order to understand what financial benefit your facility gains from having people in rehab, you need to understand how billing is done in a SNF. State plans (Medicaid) will only pay for room and board. Many times, this rate just barely covers the overhead costs of the facility. When you have someone in rehab, Medicare is billed and this is done through a PPS (prospective payment system) where the facility is reimbursed for the services they provide. The PPS is more complex then that but thats the simplified version. I suggest since you work in LTC, you should familarize yourself with how things work. A lot of facilities should be doing this because its in their residents' best interest to stay active, whether if its rehab or restorative. Hope this helps.

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