Missouri Contract Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapist Requirements: Measles
Time to get your measles shot!
The day started out like any other typical Tuesday…alarm at 5:15, out the door to run 4 miles by 5:30 (a.m. that is), shower, get 3 boys dressed, then breakfast with the boys before off to work.
With my radar always on now…I got a yet another wake up call around 6:45 while getting my bowl of oatmeal to power me through the morning. What was it?
The local news was on (just to see the weather), and while I was waiting, I heard that a woman from NE Arkansas had contracted measles, and unknowingly infected up to 4 towns. Holy cow!
Now, if you are a therapist working with us in that area, then you are breathing a big sigh of relief…Why?
We’ll, Metropolitan Health Staffing Network has one of the most, if not the most, stringent vetting process of any contract therapist staffing agency or company I have experienced to date. Even facilities that run their JAHCO requirements past us do not require everything that we do. Pretty cool, huh?
One of the requirements is vaccinations. And for most therapists, especially older ones, this can be a challenge. Simply because they don’t keep track of Varicella, Hep B, and MMR. (FYI – in case you don’t know, Measles is part of MMR).
With only 1 in 10 people being vaccinated for Measles, the risk of outbreak here in NE Arkansas could be great. And deadly for those that aren’t vaccinated.
We won’t allow a therapist to work with us unless they meet all of these vaccination requirements, along with all of our other requirements. To see our full list, check out our previous blog post.
To learn more about this story, check out the local Memphis news story. Or just Google Arkansas measles case, and you’ll find it. I’m sure this story will continue to evolve as the department of health continues to investigate and attempts to control the situation.
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Missouri License: Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapists
You could lose your license over that?
“I could lose my license over that!”
I heard this statement once again this week, and quite frankly, it forces me to lose respect for those that say this. Why? Because those that fall back on this statement, simply don’t understand what it takes to loose their license. And secondly, most don’t take the necessary steps to protect their license.
Let me set the stage a bit for you, so that you can completely understand. First, I’m not a therapist myself. I’m an Athletic Trainer by trade, with a Masters in Exercise Science and quite a bit of experience in Industrial Rehabilitation, Ergonomics, and injury prevention. So I’ve worked in many situations that would make the typical PT “uncomfortable”, and I’m sure many of these situations put my license at risk.
I can also make these comments because I’ve worked with loads of PTs and OTs in my career, and this statement of “losing my license” is a crutch for what seems to be most therapists.
The particular situation this week was simply a matter of trying to get a speech therapist to complete her documentation. She did not understand the documentation…but instead of asking for clarification proactively, she went to the usual “I could lose my license over that!” statement. Which quite frankly, boils my blood.
It takes quite a bit to lose your license as a therapist, but most don’t realize that. Think about it…we all know therapists that are shady, unethical, provide horrible care, think only of themselves, fraudulent, etc. Don’t get me wrong – these aren’t the majority. But what they are, are still practicing therapists – which means they are licensed.
So what does it take to lose your license in Missouri as a physical, occupational, or speech therapist?
Well, if you Google that question, you won’t find an answer. And you wonder why therapists don’t know how to lose their license. You will find a complaint form on the Missouri Division of Professional Regulation website. But that’s all I could find…so I called the Missouri Division of Professional Regulation to get the answer straight from the horses mouth.
What did I discover?
Not much really, and the state actually seemed aggravated by the inquiry. No wonder therapists use this statement as a crutch and don’t really understand the process and risks. I was told the obvious, that each situation is taken on a case by case basis. “So, what’s the process?” I asked. First off, someone must file a complaint via the form found on the website. Then, the state board will investigate if the complaint is valid or not. Other than this, the only groundbreaking information I received was that I should look at all the rules and statutes for each profession: PT, OT, and SLP. Helpful, huh?
If this is the helpfulness and friendliness (or lack thereof) that someone with a valid complaint receives should they call the state, then I really have to wonder how well our state licensing protects those Missouri residents receiving physical, occupational, or speech therapy?
On the contrary, I did find a good synopsis and reminder from the state of Massachusettes entitled “10 ways to lose your license”. It’s a bit comical, but a very good reminder too on what not to do.
Now, there’s also a sure fire way to lose your license. How? Get named in a lawsuit, and not have your license protected. That’ll put your license at risk! Often times, your license will come under fire in the lawsuit…and if you’re relying on your employer’s professional liability policy to protect your license, you may want to think again. Most employer provided liability insurance policies DO NOT protect the individual therapists license. The only way I know of guaranteeing the protection of your license is to have your own individual professional liability insurance policy.
And you know what, most therapists don’t have their own policy. But yet they’ll easily say “I’ll lose my license” if they get uncomfortable in a situation. In fact, I know a PT that works in an outpatient setting, who even goes onsite to do some injury prevention at local manufacturers, as well as an occasional home health eval on the side. And guess what – he doesn’t have his own professional liability insurance, and he’s muttered those blood boiling words of “I could lose my license over that”. Even worse, he’s the bread winner and insurance provider for his family. We’ll then Einstein, you might want to protect your license (and thus your income, family, and future) with your own individual professional liability insurance policy.
If you don’t know where to start for your own professional liability insurance policy, try these two most common insurance companies:
Both have online applications and instantaneous coverage options. And the benefits significantly outweigh the minor cost of these annual policies. Why not start today?
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How are you going to protect your Missouri Physical, Occupational, or Speech Therapy license today? Has your license or someone you knows been challenged? Share your story – I’m sure this stance does not agree with everyone, so please chime in here for everyone’s benefit.
Need Contract Therapist Staffing in Mid-Missouri? ? (Columbia, Jefferson City, Moberly, Mexico, Booneville, and more)
“Oops! Did I forget to tell you?”
Client: Do you happen to have any contract therapists available in Columbia, Missouri?
Me: Absolutely! That’s where we started, and have quite the good market there.
Client: Really? I just talked with PEGs to see if they could get anyone out there. What are you doing to let people know that you guys are there?
Me: Primarily word of mouth and trade shows (until this blog post, of course).
Client: I’ll give the rehab director your number…she’ll call you.
This conversation, although it happened about a year ago, still resonates with me today. This was a client we have helped with temporary therapist staffing in other portions of Missouri…so why didn’t they think of us?
Quite frankly, the conversation got me pissed. At first, I was mad at the client – which lasted all of a few seconds – and then at myself, for not doing a better job of getting the word out regarding our contract therapist staffing abilities in Mid-Missouri.
Now that I look back, I’m thankful this conversation transpired, and even more grateful for the client’s honesty. Why? It made me realize how much more work I’ve got to do; more marketing, branding, and recruitment in what has always been, and still is, our best market.
Was I fearful of a competitor coming to the middle of Missouri and taking our business? Heck no. And for those matters, I’m going to list all of the contract therapist staffing companies that can service the Mid-Missouri area. I’m not talking about what seems to be the hundreds of different travel staffing companies, but temporary contract therapist staffing. Not every facility needs a PT, OT, or SLP for 40 hours a week for 13 weeks. J
Here goes…
- Agency ABC. ABC is a fictitious company. From everything I have heard from clients, therapists, and more, a temporary therapist staffing company did not exist in Mid Missouri until we arrived. Researching on Google proves the same. Crazy, isn’t it?
- Metropolitan Health Staffing Network. Yes, that’s us, and I don’t intend to brag. After all, the intent of this blog post is to list all of the temporary contract therapist staffing companies in the Mid-Missouri region. And we’ve been staffing temporary PTs, OTs, and SLPs in Mid-Missouri since we launched in 2010.
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So there you go. I hope this helps you personally and professionally – whether you’re a therapist, or a facility in need…or the competition looking for a new market. 
And BTW – I’ll update the post once I learn of any additional contract therapist staffing agencies in Mid Missouri.Do you know of any others?
RehabCare or RehabChoice…What’s the difference?
As many of you know, I don’t talk about anything on our blog unless I’ve actually experienced it. This topic is no different, and by no means is meant to degrade either RehabCare or RehabChoice. We have working agreements for PRN therapist staffing with both companies, so I feel confident I can comment on both. And this is not limited to these two companies – there’s also Select Rehabilitation, Rehab America, Incite, Restore, and a multitude of others, especially if you include all of the travel rehab companies.
But back to RehabCare or RehabChoice…
Quite simply, the names can be very confusing. After all, they both start with Rehab. Does this confuse therapists that are seeking a new job? Do therapists apply for one company, thinking it is the other? Or worse yet, do therapists interview with one company, only to find out it is not who they thought it was? And do LTC facilities get equally confused?
So if the names are confusing, let’s look at some other things that will hopefully differentiate the two companies…
The company logos. Here they are:
Definite color differences, among others. My thoughts? The RehabChoice logo conveys many people centered around one mission or goal – the red dot center. The old RehabCare logo, which is not pictured, was warming with the heart in the hand. The new RehabCare logo contains their slogan, but no strong visual. Is one better than the other? I don’t think so.
Enough of the fluff – let’s get down to the definite differences. No therapist is going to pick one company over another because of their logo.
What you are about to read, you can easily find on each company’s respective website: www.rehabchoice.com and www.rehabcare.com.
First things first: Social media. Go to RehabCare’s website, and you’ll see links to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. You won’t find these at RehabChoice. What does this imply? If you’re a social therapist, or perhaps one that embraces technology and media, RehabCare may be the choice for you. But if you are BIG into social media, you’ll be equally disappointed in RehabCare’s attempt at Social Media. At the time of this post, their YouTube videos, Facebook posts and Twitter tweets are intermittent at best, and there are numerous employees on LinkedIn without a profile picture. I’m no Social Media guru by any means, but this could use an improvement..
Size. On the home page of RehabCare you’ll find the following:
“RehabCare is the leading provider of rehabilitation services, including physical, occupational and speech-language therapies, to over 2,000 hospitals and long-term care facilities in 46 states. We are the premier provider of rehab throughout the full continuum of care, including long-term acute care hospitals, nursing and rehabilitation centers, inpatient acute rehab units, independent rehabilitation facilities and hospice and home care locations.”
Impressive? Sure, especially for those new graduates hungry for a position. Attractive? Likely not for the more experienced therapists that have already worked for corporate America.
Cruise on over to www.RehabChoice.com and you will not find any boasting of its size. However, you will find the following:
“Rehab Choice Incorporated (RCI) is proud to be one of the few privately-held, therapist-owned providers of physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology in the United States. Founded in 1980, RCI provides services to patients in skilled nursing facilities, retirement communities, school districts, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and home health agencies.”
So which company is bigger? RehabCare, without a doubt. So if you are making a decision based upon size alone, there’s your answer. But is size synonymous with stability? No. If anything, dynamics are more common in these rehabilitation settings than stability.
What about pay and benefits? These are often critical and determining factors in employee hiring and retainment. In many cases, it’s the therapist who provides benefits for their family.
RehabCare offers the following comprehensive benefit package to its employees:
“As a large and financially viable company, we can offer competitive compensation and a full range of benefits, including health and life insurance, short- and long-term disability, 401(k), flexible spending accounts, tuition assistance and much more.”
So how does RehabChoice stack up? They offer the following benefits package:
- Paid time off
- Bereavement leave
- Jury duty
- Health, Dental and Prescription drug insurance
- Life insurance
- Short-term disability
- Long-term disability
- Professional liability insurance
- 401(k) plan
- Many clinical benefits
- Paid Continuing Education
Surprisingly, or perhaps not, you won’t find mention of a pay scale on either website. If these two companies are commonly confused, and so comparable in their offerings, I’d want to make every effort possible to differentiate myself. So why not talk about your salary offering, even if it is a range based upon X, Y, and Z? We offer our pay ranges on our website, and if you are in the know with what people are looking for when they visit your website, you would too. Just ask The Sales Lion, he’ll tell you why. J
Experience matters. After all, if I’m gonna take my car to a mechanic – it’s gonna go to the experienced one. Not the new guy on the block that just got out of lugnut school. Same goes with rehabilitation and your first job. You want to go with someone that knows what the heck they are doing. RehabCare goes back to 1982. RehabChoice was founded in 1980. Pretty darn close. A significant difference? Doubtful.
Litigation. Yep, that ugly elephant in the room that no-one wants to talk about. Lawsuits and the implied ethical (or lack thereof) conduct of business that goes along with those. The following is found on a Google search of “RehabCare Lawsuits”. The entire first page of my Google search for this term has stories about lawsuits involving RehabCare. And I didn’t care to explore the second page. Now, don’t get me wrong, a larger company does expose itself to more opportunities for litigation. It’s like me working in my wood shop after hours…the more I run that table saw, the more opportunities I have to nick my finger on that blade, especially if I’m not using the correct safety equipment.
Do a Google search for “Rehab Choice Lawsuits” and you’ll not find even a single result or story of Rehab Choice involved in a lawsuit. What’s to learn here? Perhaps PTs, OTs, SLPs and beyond should do their homework on their prospective new employer. I often hear that therapists don’t want to expose themselves to litigation, so researching a bit in a manner such as this in just a few short minutes on Google would make sense. Easy, huh?
I think that’s enough for comparison sake, don’t you? Is one company better than the other? Your call, not mine…after all, I’m not a physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech therapist. So that’s a decision I don’t have to make, but you may. So please, do your home work so that you can make the best decision possible. Feel free to contact me if you have an interview coming up with one or the other. I’ll be happy to help you figure out the best way to do your “pre-interview” homework. This is something everyone should be doing in this economy.
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What are your thoughts? Is one of these companies better than the other? The comparisons, as least from their websites, certainly have very few differences. Perhaps advanced searching in social media and Google would reveal more. I’d love to hear from you, especially if you’ve worked for one or both of these companies.
Best Contract Temporary Therapist Staffing Agencies in Springfield Missouri (Ratings/Review)
MHSN Career Fair Booth
It was October 2011, and of course, career fair time at the universities in Missouri. Early October is the Allied Health Career Fair at Mizzou – one of my absolute favorites for a myriad of reasons.
The students are well prepared, well dressed, and professional. The room is organized in such a fashion that crowds are minimized, which optimizes opportunities for conversations with the graduating students in physical, occupational, and speech therapy. The local community colleges attend also, so you also get a sprinkling of future PTAs and COTAs – and that’s super-cool too.
I get excited this time of year, because I get to meet fellow recruiters – those I’ve already met, and those I haven’t yet, but have formed a friendship online. I was particularly excited to see a good friend of mine from Rehab Choice. Not only have we developed a professional relationship, but we’ve also formed a friendship.
Well, my friend got me nervous the night of this particular career fair. She wanted to introduce me to our competition in Kansas City, MO where we were just cracking into that particular market. We certainly were not a part of the Kansas City market as long as Quantum Health Professionals was, so I was particularly nervous. And she wanted to introduce me to Troy Robert, the President. Did he know who we were? Would he be confrontational? Would I be confident enough?
It seems everyone knows Troy at these events for three reasons: blue jeans, cowboy boots, and candy. And I was nervous as, well, you know.
But Troy was as nice as could be, and professional, too. We talked work for a bit, and traded business cards…and now we’re connected on LinkedIn. Beyond that, we plan on meeting next time he is close to St. Louis. But of course, the night got busy and we went our separate ways.
But what does this have to do with Springfield, Missouri? Troy informed me that he was soon planning to enter that particular market. With the help of insurance companies, he had made enough contacts to justify the growth. So, why not?J
What other companies are in the Springfield Missouri region providing Temporary Contract Therapist Staffing services? Here goes:
- 1. Quantum Health Professionals. Based in Merriam, Kansas, Quantum has been staffing temporary therapists since 2002. Their model allows for as little as four hours, to as long as 13 weeks. Flexibility for the facility.
- 2. Metropolitan Health Staffing Network. (Yep, that’s us!) Based in Alton, IL, we’ve been staffing temporary therapists since 2010. But our experience and compassions have roots in 25-plus years of staffing temporary pharmacists with MetroRPh across 22 states, including Missouri and Illinois. Our model is 100 percent customized to the facility needs – no minimum number of hours, and of course no limits either.
There you have it. I don’t know of any other temporary therapist staffing agency that can service the Springfield, MO region (not including travel companies looking for 13 week agreements). I certainly haven’t come across another company in all my conversations with therapists and facilities in that region, though there are individual therapists working PRN, like everywhere else.
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As always, when I learn of another agency providing these services, I’ll be happy to amend this blog post. Have I missed any that you are aware of?
Contract Therapist Responsibilities and Summer PRN work
Professionalism: Is it Lost in Rehab Work Today?
I was on the phone this week with a client (facility) of ours discussing their upcoming temporary staffing needs as we approach the summer vacation months. And boy, did they have a lot!
The conversation was going along quite well when suddenly my contact on the other end of the phone started to go on a bit of a rant. I didn’t stop her, for those of you who are members yourselves, Toastmasters teaches you to be a better listener. And this was not the first time I’ve had either a client or therapist vent some frustrations to me over the phone. It makes for a longer conversation, but can also strengthen the relationship if you practice good listening skills and respond with more than a simple “uh, huh”.
This is not an attempt to pick on the client for such. In fact, I’m thrilled that she felt comfortable enough to divulge that information with me. She actually had a very good point. She was having to essentially double back and re-cover staffing that she had previously arranged with her own PRN therapist staff.
Now, this may not be a huge deal in the larger metropolitan areas of St. Louis or Kansas City, but, these locations were in some pretty rural areas of Missouri. So rural, that we are the only staffing company attempting, and sometimes able , to assist companies with their needs. These locations can spread the full-time, part-time, and PRN staff very, very thin, causing lots of headache, stress, and consequently, burnout.
The point of her diatribe was pretty dead-on. The coverage she had previously arranged was no longer available. Why? The PRN staff she had these dates covered with had accepted jobs elsewhere, and basically said they couldn’t help anymore.
The problem with what these therapists did is that they have burned a bridge and their word can no longer be trusted by this facility. And the therapy community is really a small world – seems like nearly everyone knows everyone. So word will get around and these therapists that have reneged on their commitments, and they will inevitably someday suffer the consequences of their decision to not fulfill their commitments.
While that’s a pretty bold statement, it’s true. And I can speak on this, because I’ve experienced both ends of this conundrum. Look at my LinkedIn Profile http://www.linkedin.com/in/mulhollandjason and you’ll see that I’ve had several employers. And when changing jobs, I’ve had to be honest about prior responsibilities that were important that I keep. This is all done in the negotiations with your future or new employer. You definitely don’t want to spring this on your new employer on your first day, expecting them to honor your request. I can pretty much guarantee it won’t happen.
Of course, there’s the other side of the coin…and believe me, I’ve also experienced this from the employer’s perspective, both good and bad.
First, I’ll share the good… we often have therapists that accept home health cases or visits. It’s attractive for several reasons, but chief among them is the flexibility it provides. In this particular case, I received a phone call after the physical therapist’s initial evaluation, and she was uncertain whether she could continue the case. The home was filled with smoke, was filthy, and worst of all, there was a baby in that environment. After discussing the situation with the therapist and the agency many times over the next 24 hours after the evaluation, she decided to see the case through, only because the family was nice, and in her heart, she wanted to help the patient…not to mention that it was the right thing to do.
Here is the polar opposite of how to handle a job change if you are a PRN therapist: We had a PTA helping at a facility, and that facility was counting on them for three days a week on a consistent basis. Consistent work is the Holy Grail for most contract therapists. Let me preface this with what I always tell our therapists: if a situation is not right for you, we’ll make a change. All we ask is for the therapist to communicate the issues and afford us the opportunity to improve the situation in one form or another. This PTA made the decision to notify me the evening before what would be her last day – yes, THE. EVENING. BEFORE – just about 12 hours prior to the start of her last shift. That made for a lovely conversation with the facility on my end. But to compound things, the PTA didn’t mention to anyone she was working with that it was her last day, leaving the facility manager in shock and disappointment. If you don’t agree that her reputation is in ruins (along with ours), and that bridge with the facility burned to the ground, then please don’t contact me about PRN work.
I could go on and on about positive and negative handlings of PRN responsibilities and job changes. I’ve experienced both in my short time with Metropolitan Health Staffing Network. Thankfully, more positive than negative, but the latter are the ones that tend to stick with you.
Bottom line, if you commit to something, you should go through with it – at least that’s how my mom raised me J. Like I’ve said before, feel free to call me old fashioned, but this is the correct way to handle your responsibilities. Employers will respect, and most often, will honor your request to keep your previously established responsibilities.
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What are your thoughts? A lot of factors can be involved, but there’s not really a gray area to live in here. This is a subject that you’ll likely agree or disagree with.
Who are the Best Contract Therapist Staffing Agencies in St. Louis Missouri? (Reviews/Ratings)
For the last couple of years, I have been learning rather quickly about the contract therapist staffing industry. Particularly, the temp therapist staffing we deal with here at Metropolitan Health Staffing Network. During this time, I’ve come across quite a few questions and comments regarding therapists, pricing, availability, and of course, “competition”.
Not being shy to mention who our competitors are, I thought I would help those out that search for the best contract therapist staffing companies in the St. Louis area. And when I say therapists, I do imply physical, occupational, and speech, as well as PTAs and COTAs.
- PEG Therapists.Founded in Columbia, MO and located currently in St. Louis, PEG has been around for over twenty years. Having been entrenched in the St. Louis Metro area for that long, PEG is the name I come across most often, especially in skilled nursing and hospital settings. Those loyal to PEG swear by their ability to help.
- Eclipse HealthCare. Based out of Tulsa, OK, this agency does have a staffing office in the St. Louis area. From second-hand information gathered over the years, it seems their primary presence in the St. Louis area is with home health agencies.
- Supplemental HealthCare. With their corporate office in Park City, UT, Supplemental also has a local office in St. Louis to meet the demands of nursing and allied health. Being a national company, Supplemental receives frequent mentions in my discussions with therapists and facilities in most therapist settings.
- Metropolitan Health Staffing Network. Headquartered in Alton, IL (just across the river from St. Louis), Metropolitan Health Staffing Network has been staffing therapists for just over two years. Experience and relationships not lacking though, as we are a branch of MetroRPh, a temporary pharmacist staffing company serving the St. Louis area for over 25 years.
So there are four companies to consider if you’re looking for contract therapist staffing in the St. Louis, Missouri region. No matter which company you choose, the quality of your experience will be based upon three things:
- Relationship with the staffing agency
- Quality of the therapists
- Availability of the therapists
Hopefully, your agency of choice will be able to deliver the highest level of quality with each of these, and your temporary staffing will be exceptional.
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Contract Missouri Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapist Requirements: Drug Screens
Last month, a therapist called the MetroHSN office and asked why she was “required to submit to these silly drug screens every single year”. This wasn’t the first therapist to express their frustration with the MetroHSN drug screening policy. The reasoning for our policy is very simple and straightforward, but perhaps we haven’t communicated it to our contract therapists in a clear and concise manner…and no, the answer isn’t that the office staff likes to run you around and take up your already scarce free time.Yearly screenings are for protection – yours as a therapist, MetroHSN’s as a contract service, the client agency’s for liability and vetting purposes and, most importantly, that of the patients and clients, who should always be our ultimate concern.
Your protection as a therapist is tops on our list of priorities. MetroHSN asks you to carry liability and auto insurance to protect your livelihood and your ability to travel. While a drug screen cannot provide you insurance, it can help provide you with assurance. Should one of your patients lose or misplace his prescription medication, you have the assurance that we have thoroughly checked out your background and have a clean drug screen on file for you. That isn’t to say that you can’t contract through MetroHSN if you screen positive for one of the prescription drugs on our list (of which there are many), but we do require that our contract physician review any positive results and consult you about any positive findings. MetroHSN does not require anything from the physician other than a “go” or “no go”.
If a therapist screens positive for illegal substances or does not have a prescription for a drug for which he or she has screened positive, MetroHSN cannot take on the potential liability of having said therapist contract through our service, nor can we reasonably expect the client sites to take on that liability themselves. Client sites that hire their own therapists usually conduct a drug screen upon hire, and as-needed thereafter; these drug screens cover the clients’ own particular regulatory obligations. However, the purpose of supplemental staffing for most clients varies and can be sporadic. Sometimes a client will need supplemental therapy staff for a day, a week, a month, or a year and then not again for a very long time. Clients need their regulatory and human resource requirements to be met no matter how long the gap between assignments. The client sites usually cannot, or will not, accept drug screens that are more than a year old. In many cases, the need is immediate and the client cannot wait 24 to 72 hours for a therapist to have a specimen collected and screened. Therefore, having a drug screen run on each therapist at least once a year helps MetroHSN provide relief/supplemental therapy staff to clients as quickly as possible.
Patients and families should be concerned first and foremost with actual therapy sessions and completing any independent exercises for the patient’s continued health and improvement. Clear-headed and competent professional care should be a given for patients and families. Annual drug screens are another way to give the people who matter most the peace of mind that comes with knowing they are being cared for by therapy professionals who are not working under the influence of illegal or recreational drugs.
In short, illegal substance abuse becomes a liability for the therapy professional, for MetroHSN, for any client, and ultimately for the patients who trust therapy professionals to help them. Annual drug screens give a measure of assurance for therapists by establishing a record of negative screens, which also provide vital pieces of vetting requirements for client site usage. In addition, patients and their families can be at ease regarding therapy professional drug use. While the drug screen takes a little bit of time out of a therapist’s busy schedule to complete, the benefits of having that clean screen on file far outweigh the temporary inconvenience.
May 30, 2012 – Autumn Kerrigan, Director of Support Services
2012 MSHA Annual Meeting and Convention Review
I’ve had a few weeks to now reflect upon another one of the great Missouri state association conferences – MSHA. The 2012 MSHA Annual Meeting and Convention was once again a hit. Over 1000 attendees, great speakers, and a wonderful variety of vendors from Missouri and Nationally.
View of our booth from the exhibit hall
So let’s get right to it…what do I and so many other professionals find unique about the MSHA Annual Meeting and Convention?
First off, in comparison to the Missouri Occupational Therapy Association and Missouri Physical Therapy Association Annual Conferences, the MSHA is the giant of them all. Over 1000 attendees – from seasoned speech language pathologists, to new grads, to current students. All wanting to learn, network, and contribute to their profession. It’s something that you absolutely feel in the air at the MSHA Conference. Which may be why I thoroughly enjoy my conversations with speech therapists…these professionals are vibrant, flexible, and very down to earth. Much like you and me! 
Secondly, the variety of vendors are pretty amazing. Sure, there are therapist employers, such as Metropolitan Health Staffing Network, but there are also book vendors (something very cool since I have 3 little boys at home), jewelry vendors, handbag vendors, app vendors, and more. Start up companies. Seasoned companies. Companies from Missouri. And National Companies. This makes for quite the dynamic environment in the exhibition hall…you’re bound to find something or someone that you like!
I spoke with one particular vendor, whom I consider friends in the business. The conversation brought out a wonderful idea (not mine, I’ll admit) of combining the MSHA, MOTA, and MPTA annual conferences. Not each and every year, but what about once every 2-3 years? Think about the attendance boost, the greater number of vendors, the higher quality of speakers, and the collaboration that it could bring. Why not do this? More therapy settings are increasingly emphasizing communication and collaboration across disciplines – PT, OT, SLP, nursing, and more. This would be a perfect setting to enhance and emphasize that concept and more. It just makes sense, and yes, I’m sure there is a way for MOTA, MPTA, and MSHA to share the profits. So get going and make this happen people!
Next, I noticed something this year at the 2012 MSHA Annual Meeting and Convention that I hadn’t noticed the previous year that really got me excited. (We’ve only exhibited in 2011 and 2012). It’s something that I have noticed in general about speech therapists, and I mentioned above that SLPs are for the most part flexible and vibrant. (No offense, but much more so than PTs and OTs) We’ll, this year, I noticed that more SLPs are open to any of the following: picking up PRN work in a setting other than their “specialty”, SLPs near retirement looking to stay active in their retirement years, students not committing 100% to either a school or medical setting, and more SLPs that either have their own business or those that are piecing together the equivalent of full time work with a few part time or PRN opportunities. The humble nature of their flexibility and enthusiasm in being able to work in many settings is energizing. And quite refreshing to see.
Lastly, a couple of things to note. I eluded to this above, but I witnessed fewer students that were adamant about working in either a medical setting or a school setting. A big shift from the previous year. Another interest worthy of mentioning was Vital Stim. There was a bit more “buzz” about this treatment option this year – especially from the younger generations. More SLPs desire to become Vital Stim certified, but have not yet for several reasons. And deservingly so, but not because of their fault or lack of desire. See why here…
So there you have it! The 2012 MSHA Annual Meeting and Convention was a fun, informative, and exciting time. It was our second consecutive year as part of the event, and we are already seeing trends changing in the field.
Hats off to MSHA for a job well done once again!
Were you at MSHA this year? What are your thoughts on the conference and the observations I listed above? It’s OK to agree, and disagree – so please, leave your opinion.
Missouri Alliance for Home Care 2012 Annual Conference Review
Today is unlike any other Monday morning. Yeah, it involves checking our scheduler, filling any last minute therapist staffing requests, ensuring timesheets are submitted from last week’s therapists, and other miscellaneous contacts. The morning virtually vanishes before you know it…
But despite all the other usual tasks, today is unique in that it also involves reflecting upon last week’s Missouri Alliance for Home Care 2012 Annual Conference. This year was special, as Metropolitan Health Staffing Network had the honor of having an exhibitor booth, and presenting at a Thursday afternoon session. Needless to say, I had a blast!
Can I just say that home health care has to be one of the best settings in which to work as an allied health care professional?
While visitors to our booth were 99 percent non-therapists (which we staff PT, OT, SLP, PTA, and COTA), I didn’t mind at all. In fact, just talking with all of the wonderful nurses and administrators that were enjoying the conference made my day.
From those at MAHC that organized the conference – BTW, nice to finally meet you, Abby and Melissa – to fellow exhibitors and presenters, we were constantly surrounded by incredible people; it was exhilarating, not to mention quite productive for our business. Kudos to MAHC for a job well done!
Having said all that, there is one question I must ask.
How much is a $75 Gift Card to Massage Envy worth? Is it worth an agency’s integrity? How about an individual’s? Maybe I’m making too much of this, but I received eight business cards from one individual at our table in an attempt to win the $75 gift card to Massage Envy. Eight! That’s about seven cards beyond ethical and honest in my book.
Maybe I’m old fashioned and others might think I’m nitpicking, but I don’t think so. If the number of business cards that I received from most other individuals is any reflection, I would bet the majority agrees with me. The lion’s share of attendants left just a single business card – why leave more?
This is one reason why I won’t announce an exhibit booth prize winner onsite, while another is an effort to make it fun by shooting a video of the announcement to post on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. To see this year’s booth winner, visit our Facebook Page.
Others may expect this; after all, it is how some exhibitors collect contact information. Maybe so, maybe not. But that doesn’t make this practice OK by any means.
Now, you may be saying it’s just a $75 gift card. What’s the harm? We’ll, if that person submitted eight (count ‘em – eight) business cards at each of the 60 exhibitor booths, that’s 480 business cards.
That’s nearly an entire box of 500 business cards – and a waste of funds for that agency! Business cards aren’t cheap, you know.
Whew, I feel better now…and don’t worry. We’ll be back as an exhibitor next year – it’s one of my favorite conferences to attend! MAHC always puts on a great show and is very well organized. And we’ll probably have yet another exhibitor booth prize…but hopefully with some form of electronic registration.
Thanks MAHC for a wonderful experience at the conference this year!
What are your thoughts? Is leaving eight business cards unethical? What was your experience at the MAHC conference this year? Ours was fabulous – Thank you MAHC!
