| With hundreds of pieces of physical therapy | | | | Who will this equipment benefit? Is it effective for |
| equipment in the market today, it's sometimes | | | | only a small group of patients or a broad |
| difficult to properly evaluate your choices and | | | | population of patients? will your patients think of |
| choose the most appropriate rehabilitation | | | | this new therapy? Will they enjoy the treatment |
| equipment for your rehab center. | | | | or consider it painful and aggressive? |
| Physical therapy is a growing field, and with the | | | | What will your patients think of this new therapy? |
| incidence of back pain affecting 80% of all | | | | Will they enjoy the treatment or consider it |
| Americans, it is expected to grow even higher. | | | | painful and aggressive? |
| Many times physical therapy is the first course of | | | | When will this equipment be effective in the |
| treatment prescribed to the back pain sufferer, | | | | patient's treatment program? Will the equipment |
| with the goal of decreased pain and increased | | | | advance it's objectives as the patient progresses? |
| function. Most therapists have found that a | | | | Where will you put the piece of rehab equipment? |
| combination of manual therapies, like hot/cold and | | | | Does it have a small footprint or will it take up a |
| mechanically aided therapies, like TENS | | | | lot of your precious space? |
| (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) | | | | Why does this equipment work? Is there |
| provide the best clinical outcomes. Larger, more | | | | evidence-based science behind this method of |
| condition specific pieces of rehab equipment are | | | | treatment? |
| becoming mainstream and essential for both | | | | How will the price of the equipment affect my |
| patient and practice success. | | | | bottom line? Is this a piece of equipment that |
| Certain factors play a key role in choosing the | | | | offers a reimbursable modality? |
| appropriate rehab equipment for your physical | | | | If these six questions can be answered with |
| therapy center, including: | | | | positive statements, then the equipment is |
| 1. Patient population | | | | probably a wise investment. Alternately, if you |
| 2. Clinical outcomes | | | | find that the equipment would be effective for 1 |
| 3. Adaptability of objectives to patient needs | | | | out of 100 patients, takes up a large amount of |
| 4. Ease of use | | | | room and is not reimbursable, it is probably not a |
| 5. Patient compliance | | | | wise investment. |
| 6. Evidence-based foundation for treatment | | | | There are pieces of rehabilitation equipment for |
| method | | | | back pain that meet all these criteria, and a little |
| 7. Space requirements | | | | research now will be well worth it in the long run. |
| 8. Price | | | | Look at all your options and don't make hasty |
| Before a capital equipment purchase is made, | | | | decisions based on slick marketing or nice |
| these factors need to be considered carefully. | | | | salespeople. This is your physical therapy center, |
| Asking yourself the tried and true questions of | | | | and the rehabilitation equipment you place in it will |
| Who, What, When, Where, Why and How will help | | | | play heavily on the success of your patients and |
| you make informed choices and lead to greater | | | | of your business. |
| success. | | | | |