There have been immense changes throughout the world in the past two decades, and as the 21st century progresses, we will continue to see even greater transformation occur. During the past two decades, the entire globe has undergone a revolution that has greatly impacted how our society functions. Technology has been a major driving force behind this transformation and as our world experiences more change, there will be even more effects. Of the many alterations that have occurred throughout the 21st century, one of the most significant has been the improvement of the healthcare industry. Healthcare has experienced a massive change in the past 20 years, and one of the most altered facets has been physical therapy.
Physical Therapy in the Modern Era
Physical therapy has been one of the most altered forms of medicine throughout the past two decades, and much of the change that has occurred has helped to aid patients. There are a multitude of new technologies and changes to PT techniques that have helped patients to get the care that they desperately need. Although the industry has innovated, physical therapy practices are more difficult to run than ever before in 2020, as there are many new regulations that need to be followed. While there are many new regulatory facets that need to be adhered to, one of the most important is the filing of physical therapy progress notes. Progress notes are a necessity for all PT practices, and learning how to effectively create them for your business is essential.
Examining Physical Therapy Progress Notes
Understanding the myriad regulations that physical therapy practices need to adhere to is crucial for your company’s success. Filing physical therapy progress notes is necessary for patients, especially for those who are on Medicare. Medicare requires all physical therapy offices to file progress notes in order to continue rendering services. Medicare deems that all physical therapy care has to be medically necessary in order for them to pay. Medically necessary is defined as care is helping patients to work on their problems as well as that all maintenance care is aiding to either slow, prevent, or maintain further deterioration. The progress notes that you fill out need to comply with a multitude of requirements in order to ensure that all care is considered medically necessary. While there are many different requirements, some of them include that notes are filled out once every 10 therapy sessions, evaluation for improvement, plans for continuing treatment as well as any changes in treatment, objectively reporting patients’ subjective statements, objective testing that quantifies progress, beginning and end dates of the assessment period, and many other features as well. Failure to fill out progress notes is a serious offense and will have consequences for your PT office.
Final Thoughts
While there are a variety of protocols you need to follow for your physical therapy practice, one that you need to ensure you strictly adhere to is filling out progress notes. It is imperative that you understand the importance of progress notes and learn how your PT office can effectively comply to the standards.
