Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, PA, announced July 25 that its physical therapist assistant (PTA) program's class of 2010 achieved a 100-percent first-time pass rate on the PTA licensing exam. This puts the program at a 3-year average first-time pass rate of 100 percent, according to the college.In 2008, 7 out of 7 Harcum PTA students achieved a first time pass rate of 100 percent, with a state average of 69 percent and a national average of 81.36 percent. In 2009, 11 out of 11 students passed the exam on ...

A Michigan state court jury found that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan must pay $4.5 million to an outpatient physical therapy company that alleged the state's largest health insurer tried to run it out of business.According to a July 28 article in Insurance News Net, an Oakland County Circuit Court jury found the Michigan Blues breached its contract with TheraMatrix Physical Therapy because of a program TheraMatrix had with Ford Motor Co., and the Blues interfered with its business relationship with ...

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn vetoed on July 23 a Senate bill that would have allowed doctors to legally hire physical therapists, because those partnerships, he said, would increase costs for citizens. This is according to a July 27 article in Chicago Breaking Business.In Illinois, patients must have a doctor's referral to see a physical therapist, the article stated. But physical therapists can bill insurance providers for their services independently."Senate Bill 2635," Quinn said in a letter to ...

HydroWorx, a Middletown, PA-based manufacturer of aquatic therapy treadmills for elite athletics and health care, has unveiled the HydroWorx 71 and 80 Series--stowable, rollable versions of their traditional machines. These portable HydroWorx underwater treadmills offer patients and athletes accelerated surgical recoveries, relief from chronic pain and disease, proven weight loss, and improved fitness and energy levels.The 71 and 80 Series treadmills provide scientifically proven health benefits in a ...

The Aquatic Therapy Professional Award recognizes outstanding professionalism and contributions to the aquatic therapy industry.  Terri Mitchell, PTA, has been named the recipient of the 2010 Aquatic Therapy Professional Award. Bess Maxwell, PhD, PT, received the Aquatic Therapy Professional Award in Abstention. The awards were presented at the 17th Aquatic Therapy Symposium, June 30, 2010, in Sanibel, FL, by the Aquatic Therapy & Rehab Institute (ATRI). Tsunami Spirit Awards were presented to ...

Mastering Medicare, with all its parts and choices, may seem like a daunting challenge, especially when you or your loved one first enter the system. This expert advice, from the American Geriatrics Society's Foundation for Health in Aging, will guide you through the Medicare system and will help you make the smartest choices for your particular situation.Medicare helps cover healthcare costs, but it doesn't cover all your medical expenses or the costs of most long-term care. The advice in the "Making ...

As we pause to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), The Arc recognizes that there has been significant progress made on behalf of people with disabilities.  There is more still to be done, however, and The Arc is initiating a national effort to tap into the knowledge and perspectives of individuals and families within the intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) community. Our goal is to assist the sector in determining needs for services and ...

Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital (BRH) has just opened its Outpatient Spinal Cord Injury and Disease Clinic, the only clinic of its type on the South Shore.  Located inside the hospital's main Braintree facility, the clinic was established to help spinal cord injury patients continue their recovery in a multi-disciplinary setting that will help them maximize their independence and wellness.Each patient at the clinic will be assigned a board-certified physiatrist, along with a treatment team that may ...

The Rothman Institute, the largest orthopedic practice in the region, is honored to announce Alexander Vaccaro, MD, PhD, spine chief at the institute, is the recipient of the 2010 Leon Wiltse Award for excellence in leadership and clinical research for spine care by the North American Spine Society (NASS)."Dr. Vaccaro clearly stands out as a leader in his field," states Mike West, CEO of the Rothman Institute. "He has made many significant contributions to our knowledge and understanding of spinal ...

Weisman Children's Rehabilitation Hospital, providing inpatient and outpatient pediatric rehabilitation and medical day care in South Jersey, will now be offering car seat safety training for parents at 92 Brick Road in Marlton, New Jersey.Micciche Auto Salvage in Voorhees, New Jersey has salvaged and donated a car for training purposes. The car was modified so that the seats are exposed for easy access. Micciche and West Berlin Fire Company are also donating their time to deliver the car on Tuesday, July ...

ABC News Anchor/Reporter Bob Woodruff and his wife, Lee, know from personal experience that physical and cognitive rehabilitation following a devastating injury or illness can result in miraculous recovery and a life of independence and success. In 2006, Bob Woodruff was critically injured in a roadside bomb attack while covering the war in Iraq for ABC News. In the attack he suffered life-threatening injuries, including a traumatic brain injury. He spent weeks in the intensive care unit of hospitals in ...

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Detroit-area residents Faisal Chaudry and Guy Ross pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Detroit for their participation in a fraudulent Medicare home health scheme, the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services (HHS) announced. Chaudry, 32, pleaded guilty on July 13 before U.S. District Court Judge Denise Page Hood in the Eastern District of Michigan to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Ross, 49, pleaded guilty before Judge Hood to one ...

Kenneth J. Ottenbacher, director of the division of rehabilitation sciences in the School of Health Professions at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, has received a $4.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to help train investigators in the use of large databases related to rehabilitation and disability. The five-year grant funds the new Center for Rehabilitation Research Using Large Datasets at UTMB, a consortium led by UTMB that includes investigators at Cornell ...

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital has again been recognized as one the top rehabilitation hospitals in the country, climbing to a rank of #4 in the 2010 US News and World Report "America's Best Hospitals" issue, achieving its highest rank to date.  Spaulding continues to be the only rehabilitation hospital in New England ranked each year since 1995."This rank is a direct reflection of the excellence in patient care, research and education that our staff across the Spaulding Network contributes to ...

Education Resources, Inc. (ERI)  (http://www.educationresourcesinc.com), a leading provider of accredited continuing education for therapy professionals, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with a casual luncheon at the Back Bay Hilton, Thursday, June 17, for physical therapists attending the PT2010 Boston conference. Since 1985, ERI has distinguished itself with clinically relevant, current topic education for lifelong professional development and enhanced patient outcomes. "As physical ...