With hundreds of pieces of physical therapy equipment in the market today, it's sometimes difficult to properly evaluate your choices and choose the most appropriate rehabilitation equipment for your rehab center.
Physical therapy is a growing field, and with the incidence of back pain affecting 80% of all Americans, it is expected to grow even higher. Many times physical therapy is the first course of treatment prescribed to the back pain sufferer, with the goal of decreased pain and increased function. Most therapists have found that a combination of manual therapies, like hot/cold and mechanically aided therapies, like TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) provide the best clinical outcomes. Larger, more condition specific pieces of rehab equipment are becoming mainstream and essential for both patient and practice success.
Certain factors play a key role in choosing the appropriate rehab equipment for your physical therapy center, including:
1. Patient population
2. Clinical outcomes
3. Adaptability of objectives to patient needs
4. Ease of use
5. Patient compliance
6. Evidence-based foundation for treatment method
7. Space requirements
8. Price
Before a capital equipment purchase is made, these factors need to be considered carefully. Asking yourself the tried and true questions of Who, What, When, Where, Why and How will help you make informed choices and lead to greater success.
Who will this equipment benefit? Is it effective for only a small group of patients or a broad population of patients?
What will your patients think of this new therapy? Will they enjoy the treatment or consider it painful and aggressive?
When will this equipment be effective in the patient's treatment program? Will the equipment advance it's objectives as the patient progresses?
Where will you put the piece of rehab equipment? Does it have a small footprint or will it take up a lot of your precious space?
Why does this equipment work? Is there evidence-based science behind this method of treatment?
How will the price of the equipment affect my bottom line? Is this a piece of equipment that offers a reimbursable modality?
If these six questions can be answered with positive statements, then the equipment is probably a wise investment. Alternately, if you find that the equipment would be effective for 1 out of 100 patients, takes up a large amount of room and is not reimbursable, it is probably not a wise investment.
There are pieces of rehabilitation equipment for back pain that meet all these criteria, and a little research now will be well worth it in the long run. Look at all your options and don't make hasty decisions based on slick marketing or nice salespeople. This is your physical therapy center, and the rehabilitation equipment you place in it will play heavily on the success of your patients and of your business.
This Blog is maintained by MediCepts, Inc, manufacturer of the SpineSic.All content has been provided by employees of MediCepts, Inc.
Want to learn more about effective rehabilitation equipment for back pain patients? Read more of our blog posts, and don't forget to bookmark us!
No comments:
Post a Comment