Blog

Working as a Travel Physical therapist, you already know why physical therapy is so important for patients to manage their pain. Some of your patients may not see the benefits, however. Opioids or pain medications can appeal to patients as a “quick fix” for their pain, unlike physical therapy that requires more time and effort. But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdoses killed more than 70,000 Americans in 2019 alone. Of these deaths, 70 percent of them involved prescription or illicit opioid use.  

Let’s refresh on what a compact privilege is, get an update on participating states and  benefits of having compact privilege: What is a compact privilege? According to the Federation of State Board of Physical Therapy, compact privilege is the ability to work in compact member state other than the one you reside in. To have compact privilege, a physical therapist must have a license in his or her home state and have no disciplinary action against the license for at least two years, among other criteria. Once the licensed physical therapist receives compact privilege, he or she is eligible to begin practicing in the other compact states.   What are the participating states? According to PT Compact (at the time of this article),  Oregon, North Dakota, Missouri, Mississippi, Utah and Tennessee are currently issuing compact privileges and are considered PT Compact Member States. In Pennsylvania, PT Compact legislation has been introduced. The following states

Rural hospitals play a critical role in the health care landscape, providing accessible coverage for residents of hard to reach, isolated communities. Mounting data is showing that these essential organizations, however, are at risk of becoming extinct. The facts  The data about the closure of rural hospitals is sobering. Recent research has found that: 673 rural hospitals across 42 states are at risk of closing in the U.S., according to a report from iVantage Health Analytics. 355 of these hospitals are in communities with “great health disparities,” or areas with high risk of medical conditions. These closures would result in 99,000 health care jobs lost.

Whether you currently work as a travel physical therapist or are considering travel PT as a possible career path, reading blogs written by others in the field can be incredibly useful. You can learn important tips and tricks for working as a travel PT, gain inspiration for your next move or access resources that can help expand your job opportunities.  The life of a travel PT can be incredibly fulfilling, and the best websites and online journals reflect that. Here are the top five travel physical therapy blogs you should be reading: 1. HoboHealth The scoop: HoboHealth is a trusted source of travel therapy news, insights and advice. Collected on the site is a useful mix of travel writing, tales from the road and tips for working as a travel therapist. There are also discussion boards where travel PT can swap stories and wisdom. 

We’re looking forward to meeting many of our Florida Occupational Therapists fact-to-face next weekend at the Florida Occupational Therapy Association’s Annual Conference in Orlando. Celebrating 100 years of Occupational Therapy, FOTA17’s schedule is jam packed with Education Sessions, dynamic speakers, a yoga sessions, and an awards ceremony on November 3rd and 4th. As the “respected authority on occupational therapy’s contribution to health and well-being in Florida,” FOTA continually works to support and advance the profession while making strides to better serve consumers.