Webinars
Opportunities and Challenges: Emergency Department Physical Therapist Practice
Description
Physical therapy has been delivered in emergency departments around the world as early as the 1990s but it is still considered a niche practice in the United States. Physical therapists (PTs) often ask “what can PTs do in the ED”? A recent survey exploring the prevalence of physical therapy being provided in Wisconsin emergency departments revealed this practice model is growing rapidly throughout the state. Research has shown how physical therapy being provided in the emergency department can greatly impact the patient, other providers, and the healthcare system. This webinar will highlight the extensive and varied practice experiences of three PTs working in emergency department settings and explore the barriers and challenges they have experienced. They will also explore strategies, including valuable resources, for overcoming these obstacles and make a strong case for expansion of this practice model.
About The Speaker(s)
Panel: Jeff Hartman, PT, DPT, MPH, Adrienne Javes, PT, DPT, Certified Clinical Vestibular Therapist, and Sarah Nechvatal, PT, DPT
Jeff Hartman is an assistant professor of physical therapy at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Dr. Hartman is orthopedic residency trained and was one of the early clinicians in the United States to work full-time as a physical therapist in a Level I Trauma Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has published and presented globally on this topic and continues to consult with programs and clinicians around the country. Dr. Hartman’s research focuses on global health and development and capacity building in diverse areas around the world. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 2020 and successfully performed a situational analysis of the physiotherapy profession throughout the country of Belize. Dr. Hartman has numerous institutional and professional service responsibilities including serving on the Early Access PT Coalition through the APTA Wisconsin. Nationally Dr. Hartman has served with the Consortium of Universities for Global Health and has been a dedicated member of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Global Health Special Interest Group since 2003. Dr. Hartman was awarded the APTA’s Ronnie Leavitt award for Social Responsibility in 2022.
Addy Javes is a graduate of the UW-Madison DPT program with 8 years of experience in acute care. She is passionate about providing therapy services to those that are typically overlooked or mismanaged, especially the vestibular and obstetric populations. A life-long learner, Addy is always trying to improve her skill set and toolbox. She strongly believes early and easy access to PT can decrease healthcare utilization. Addy is currently the lead emergency department physical therapist at her hospital, and she helped implement emergency and obstetric PT programs. She enjoys taking students as a clinical instructor and exposing them to less conventional areas of PT practice.
Sarah Nechvatal PT, DPT currently practices at UW Health University Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin as an acute care physical therapist and since 2010 she has worked in 3 different hospital systems as an Emergency Department physical therapist. She has presented at state, national, and international conferences as well as at interprofessional medical conferences to increase awareness of Emergency physical therapist practice. She is co-instructor of a unique 2-day continuing education course on Emergency Department practice. She currently leads the APTA Wisconsin Early Access PT Committee that strives to incorporate physical therapists in every Wisconsin Emergency Department and Urgent Care clinic, as well as improve access to outpatient services within 48 hours of symptom onset. Dr. Nechvatal received her DPT degree from University of Iowa.
