ACTNow 2024

Welcome to ACTNow 2024

It is important for clinicians and therapists to stay up to date on legislative issues that can affect funding and equipment availability for clients. State House and Senate sessions can bring small-seeming changes to Medicaid funding that have major consequences for people who rely on assistive and rehab technology. This course will discuss issues regarding overall funding and coverage, repair and service reform, and ways therapists and clinicians can work with lawmakers and industry representatives for their clients’ interests. The session will end with a Q&A for the presenter.

A child participates in many activities throughout a 24-hour period. The wheelchair or a mobility system is often addressed providing optimal transportation, opportunity for self-initiated movement, and positioning. Evidence has demonstrated the benefits of providing positioning intervention when a child is not in the wheelchair. Positions focusing on lying, sitting, and standing will be addressed. A 24-hour postural care program addresses all activities the child might be involved in. This session addresses options for alternative positioning, toileting, bathing, and sleeping. Physiological and anatomical theoretical principles will be addressed incorporating how equipment can address an individual’s postural needs while promoting function and participation throughout a full 24-hour day.

Join us for a recap of the typical development of gait and why each stage is crucial for a child’s developing brain and musculoskeletal system. Explore the numerous benefits of encouraging early active mobility in children with additional needs, especially regarding hip joint and muscle development, and review the latest evidence surrounding walking frames. Evaluate the pros and cons of different styles of walking frames. Learn about using an upright walker and the wide range of new features and accessories to suit every need can maximize child exploration, interaction, and participation. Case studies will demonstrate how using a gait trainer in clinical practice can put the clinical theory to the test!

This is a 1-hour course designed to enhance knowledge and clinical application of clinical considerations for rigid wheelchair prescription. The course reviews the client screening and wheelchair evaluation process for rigid wheelchair prescription. Additionally, participants will review clinical decision- making associated with pertinent anatomic, postural, and biomechanical considerations to optimize wheelchair fit.

Learn what new technology is available with this direct hands on session! Spend time visiting with manufactures to discover the latest and greatest in Complex Rehab Technology. - Discover what is available from the most respected brands in the industry - Get your hands on the products you will be prescribing - Understand and be able to describe features useful to your clients from 3 manufacturer’s products

Individuals with chronic medical conditions and long-term disabilities who have a permanent need for a wheelchair require a comprehensive, detailed evaluation of their physical, functional and environmental needs to allow clinicians and ATP suppliers to make appropriate Assistive Technology recommendations for a successful outcome. This course will examine the algorithmic approach when deciding on power mobility base selection while also discussing key performance parameters and capabilities of power options that lead to equipment recommendations specific to group categories and clinical implications. This framework will provide clinicians with the tools necessary to effectively evaluate and document the medical need for Power mobility intervention and assist the supplier ATP in matching an individual’s identified needs to the technology interventions.

Power wheelchairs are designed to augment function when functional mobility is compromised or lost. However, this is not the only benefits that the power mobility systems can provide. There are critical components of this system that also facilitate or improve the end user’s ability to complete functional activities/ADLs, support their physical and mental health, provide independent repositioning for pressure relief, increase tolerance of the seated position, and increase the overall satisfaction of the equipment. These critical components are known as power positioning devices. While there are several different types of power positioning products on the market, this presentation will focus on the clinical benefits of power adjustable seat height and anterior tilt.

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Often times, the deciding factor in whether a person gets a much-needed piece of equipment or not comes down to whether it is approved by their insurance. Therapists and clinicians can help expedite the process by clearly documenting the needs of the patient and providing all information the equipment vendor needs to submit for approval. In this course, therapists will do a demonstration evaluation with an ATP to learn what points to focus on for documentation. This approach will also address multi-software platforms and hitting all the major points across systems.

Movement is a foundation of function for everyone, disabled or not. For our clients who require custom molded options, one of the drawbacks can be limiting movement to support their postural tendencies. And for some of our more active users, this may even result in functional limitations. The Tarta Custom Backrest may be an option for these clients by providing customized postural support while still allowing movement to promote function. Additionally, current technologies for managing wheelchair clients’ postures include tilt in space, recline systems, and back supports. Although these technologies have many benefits for our clients, seating is still a challenge for many. We know that seating postures change during the day depending on energy, functional tasks, comfort, tone, and preferences — however, it is hard to provide postural variation and movement using current technologies. EPiC Seating is a new seating system that may offer a solution for these clients.

There is a compliant way to do what is expected so a qualified patient can receive the mobility equipment in a timely manner. In this interactive workshop, participants will gain insight into health insurance plans documentation requirements for mobility products and related accessories including seat elevation. The instructor, a former director at Medicare, will share the internal thought process of health insurance plans which will enable therapists to provide them what they need in order to approve a claim for qualified patients. This course will teach attendees how to compliantly and efficiently complete an effective evaluation for mobility products in order to reduce the time spent on writing documentation, thus preserving your LIFE as a therapist.