News

Visit ATF Medical at the Georgia Workers’ Comp Conference!

Thursday, August 4th, 2022

The Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation Annual Educational Conference will be held August 29-31. In person!

The theme is Return of the Champions. And ATF Medical’s Champions Erin Zablocki and Rick Wyche will be there, exhibiting and talking about new rehab technologies and our Pressure Injury Prevention & Intervention program. Visit our booth and spend some time with these experts to learn how you can avoid unnecessary costs with the right equipment and prevention techniques.

We are also sponsoring the conference’s Kid’s Chance Masquerade Extravaganza with music, dancing, casino tables, and a silent auction. Please join us in supporting this life-changing charity. The fun starts around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 30.

The gala and the conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta Hotel. For more information and registration details, please click this link.

Preventing Pressure Injuries

Monday, August 1st, 2022

Pressure injuries are painful and difficult & expensive to treat…and most are avoidable.

An injured worker with a catastrophic injury has enough on their plate. The last thing they need is a painful pressure injury, also known as a wound, pressure ulcer or bedsore. Especially one that didn’t have to develop. And most pressure injuries are avoidable. ATF Medical’s Edwina Murphy discusses this in this WorkCompWire Leaders Speak article.

ATF Medical offers a comprehensive, cost-effective Pressure Injury Prevention & Intervention (PIPI) program. For more information on the PIPI, please email referrals@atfmedical.com.

New Technologies Speed Wheelchair Repairs/Prevent Accidents

Thursday, July 21st, 2022

woman making an adjustment on a wheelchair

ATF Medical’s Executive Director of Sales, Marketing & Business Development Rick Wyche discusses new technologies for wheelchairs in WorkCompWire’s Leaders Speak. Learn how to harness technology to reduce the time it takes to repair wheelchairs. Other technologies help prevent pressure injuries and avoid crashing into walls and tipping over. Read the article now!

What is a CEAC and Why Are They Working on My Claim?

Thursday, June 9th, 2022

Stair lift on yellow staircase — Automatic stair lift on staircase

Standing for Certified Environmental Access Consultant, CEAC is a certification held by many professionals who develop adaptive housing solutions. Environmental access refers to the process of physically changing a home, in our case, to foster independence and functionality for an injured worker.

The concept for this accreditation arose because the market was full of remodeling contractors, interior designers, and rehab professionals–all with varying levels of understanding about home modifications. The CEAC program was created to reduce the disparity in their training and practices.

VGM Live at Home administers the CEAC credentialling program. It involves a six-part, self-study educational program, unit reviews, and a comprehensive final exam. The course prepares rehab and construction professionals to take an overall look at the injured worker and their abilities along with safety hazards, and the home environment, and recommend appropriate changes. A variety of professionals, including physical and occupational therapists, assistive technology professionals, remodeling contractors and builders, and interior designers, can take the course to qualify for the certification.

The CEAC certificate symbolizes competence that separates environmental access professionals from a para-professional trade. In addition to our CEAC-certified partners in the field, ATF Medical has three CEACs on staff.

One is our Supervisor of Adaptive Housing Karissa Peffer. Karissa coordinates adaptive housing solutions, collaborating closely with contractors and professionals to make sure home modifications are appropriate for the injured individual’s physical condition and lifestyle.

Rachel Amentt, who is a Coordinator II in Adaptive Housing, recently received her CEAC certification. And our Executive Director of Rehab Technology, Erin Zablocki, was one of the first five people in the nation to earn the Master CEAC designation. Already a CEAC for several years, Erin took additional training in core product categories for the field to earn the Master accreditation.

ATF Medical’s professionals continue to learn and grow in their fields, and the company covers the cost of their continuing education. We do this to ensure that our adaptive housing solutions are clinically driven and outcome centric. You can spend all the money in the world on a home mod, but if it doesn’t work for the specific injured worker, it’s all for naught.

A team of specialists collaborate on each of ATF Medical’s adaptive housing projects. Assistive Technology Professionals, Occupational Therapists, and—yes—CEACs work together. We look at every angle and consider the medical equipment, assistive technologies, the home’s construction, and the person’s lifestyle before recommending an adaptive housing solution.

We’re constantly looking at new technologies and new construction methods. And we’re constantly educating ourselves so that we can equip every seriously injured worker to live their best life.

For information on our adaptive housing solutions, contact Erin Zablocki, ezablocki@atfmedical.com.

Another ATF Medical Pro – Rachel Amentt – Earns Her CEAC Certification

Monday, June 6th, 2022

Rachel Amnett ATF Medical proudly announces that Rachel Amentt has received the CEAC certification. CEAC stands for Certified Environmental Access Consultant.

Rachel coordinates adaptive housing solutions for injured employees. Maybe you’ve talked to her — she works with representatives at insurance carriers and third-party administrators to coordinate home modifications.

Depending on the patient’s condition, these range from ramps and grab bars to stair lifts to complete kitchen remodels. Rachel expedites the home assessments so hospitalized patients can return home and be able to move around as quickly, safely and independently as possible.

Why did she go through the rigorous CEAC process? After all, she’s working full time and raising two children, ages two and four. And CEAC certification means taking an intense six-unit, self-study educational program with unit reviews, and a comprehensive exam.

“We do a lot of hands-on assessments to make sure a contractor’s scope and quote are appropriate,” Rachel said. She said that the CEAC courses emphasized the importance of what ATF Medical does.

“Our recommendations affect people’s lives,” she said. “We want to make sure they’re right for the patient while also doing what’s right for the payer.”

Rachel gives occupational therapists video tours of the home to make sure suggested changes are clinically sound. “Sometimes medical equipment can replace part of the remodeling and give the injured person more flexibility,” she said. “I have my eyes on the construction side and the OTs watch the medical.”

A few years ago, Rachel worked for a workers’ compensation ancillary provider that used ATF Medical’s services. Like so many at ATF Medical, she loves helping people, especially during traumatic times in their lives.

Please join us in congratulating Rachel on earning the CEAC certification by emailing her at ramentt@atfmedical.com.

Rehab Management Takes a Tour of Apple’s Upcoming Accessibility Features

Wednesday, May 25th, 2022

In case you missed it, Apple is adding accessibility features to iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches. These can make big differences in the lives of injured workers.

The company is rolling out Live Captions on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac to help people with hearing impairments more easily follow audio content while streaming, using a phone or FaceTime, or video conferencing.

Apple is also introducing Door Detection to help people who are blind or have poor vision navigate new environments.

And its Apple Watch Mirroring empowers people with upper body limb challenges to use iPhone assistive features like Voice Control and Switch Control from their Apple Watches. Hand gestures can answer or end a call or pause media without the person having to tap the display. Available later this year, these features and more are described in this article from Rehab Management.

Megan Hunt Joins ATF Medical as Rehab Support Coordinator

Monday, May 23rd, 2022

Megan Hunt ATF Medical — Megan Hunt Joins ATF Medical

It’s not often a supervisor helps a valued employee move to a different company, but that happened to Megan Hunt.

Megan has collaborated with people who have disabilities for years and is passionate about helping them live their best lives. Most recently, she was the Program Assistant for Vocational Assessment Services at Roosevelt Warm Springs in Georgia. The program helps people with disabilities receive work training and start a path towards employment.

She was always interested in the medical field but didn’t make the jump until her supervisor told her about an opening at ATF Medical. Megan was fascinated by our medical stories and how we work with people after traumatic injuries and help them find solutions for mobility and independence.

“This feels like a perfect fit for you,” her supervisor said.

As a Rehab Support Coordinator, Megan assists Edwina Murphy, OT, ATP, our Director of Rehab Technology. Since Edwina is an occupational therapist providing clinical input for our whole range of services, Megan gets involved in adaptive housing, rehab technologies, and seating & positioning, along with our new pressure injury prevention and intervention (PIPI) solution.

Megan helps Edwina with the home evaluations and reports, orders equipment, and works with manufacturers. She also communicates with claims reps, so everyone is on the same page and knows the claim’s status.

If you’ve talked to Megan, you’ll know she has a soothing, Southern accent. She lives in Griffith, Georgia and grew up in nearby Molena located in central part of the state. She works from home and loves the job.

“Everyone has been so wonderful; they don’t mind answering questions and I ask a lot of questions!” Megan said. She is thankful for Edwina, Jaymi, Karissa, Erin, Lauren, and so many others who are giving her tips and tricks.

“It’s been amazing to see what all we can do for someone who has gone through a traumatic experience that changes their life,” she said. “You’re able to help them and they’re able to grow. I love seeing people grow and change.”

Obviously, Megan’s former supervisor – and friend – was right. She’s a great fit for ATF Medical. Join us in welcoming her by emailing her at mhunt@atfmedical.com.

OT = Occupational Therapist, But What Do These Therapists Do?

Wednesday, May 4th, 2022

OT working with patient

Occupational therapists (OTs) and are highly skilled healthcare professionals who help people adapt to injuries and illnesses. The term “occupational” is a bit of misnomer because not all OTs focus on work activities.

You’ll find them in nearly every medical field, including orthopedics, neurology, pediatrics, mental health, geriatrics, and oncology. They often serve patients who need to recover the ability to perform activities of daily living. Some seriously ill COVID-19 patients who had lengthy hospital stays learned to bathe and dress themselves again with the help of OTs.

Like physical therapists, they help people increase strength and flexibility, usually in the upper extremities. OTs can also assess a patient’s social and communication skills and recommend ways to improve them.

Educational requirements are stringent. Candidates need to graduate at a master’s or doctoral level from an occupational therapy program and be accredited by the American Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).

Those that also pass an exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) have OTR instead of OT after their names. Then after all that, OTs must be licensed by their local states. Most states require continuing education for OTs to maintain their licenses.

In workers’ compensation, OTs wear a lot of hats. You’ll find them assigned to claims with upper body injuries, including cumulative musculoskeletal injuries of the hands and arms. They also perform job analyses and recommend ergonomic changes, accessibility and assistive technologies, and work accommodations to facilitate return to work.

Naturally, at ATF Medical OTs usually work on complex claims, including spinal cord injuries, falls, traumatic brain injuries, severe burns, and crush injuries. OTs evaluate the injured worker’s condition, their home and family situation, and recommend ways to restore as much independence and functionality along with the highest quality of life as possible.

For example, our Director of Rehab Technology Edwina Murphy, OT, ATP developed a way to prevent wounds. ATF Medical’s Pressure Injury Prevention Program identifies areas where pressure injuries are developing or are likely to develop and recommends ways to avoid painful wounds.

OTs at ATF Medical work on adaptive housing solutions, assessing the home, evaluating the injured individual. They stay up to date on the plethora of assistive technologies, adaptive equipment, emerging accessibility tools, and home renovation designs. Their expertise makes them valuable members of the team that decides on the best most efficient and cost-effective adaptive housing solutions.

This is part of a series defining some of the acronyms and terms in our industry. If there is one you want us to explain, please email rwyche@atfmedical.com.

What is an ATP Anyway?

Thursday, April 28th, 2022

Acronyms mean different things in different industries. Take ATM. It is an automated teller machine in banking and asynchronous transfer mode in telecommunications. It also stands for “at the moment” in texts.

Workers’ comp is rife with acronyms and credentials. There’s CPCU, ARM, MSCC, and CMSP. Within the rehab technology field, you’ll find ATP, OT, PT, CAPS, CHAMP, CEAC, and more. All the initials behind the names of rehab pros can be confusing, so we decided to do some posts explaining some of the acronyms and certifications in our field.

First up, ATP. Aviation has an ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) certification, but in our world, ATP stands for Assistive Technology Professional.

The ATP certificate is earned through RESNA, the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of America. RESNA defines ATP as a certification that “recognizes demonstrated competence in analyzing the needs of consumers with disabilities, assisting in the selection of appropriate assistive technology for the consumers’ needs, and providing training in the use of the selected devices.”

Only professionals with a specific ratio of academic to work experience can sit for the ATP exam. The test covers a wide knowledge base since ATPs work with so many different assistive technologies. You’ll find them in mobility, seating, and positioning and home mods. ATPs also work with sensory aides, computer accessibility, and devices for the hearing or visually impaired.

In addition to knowing the technical aspects, ATPs need to understand payer sources. There are wildly different standards and approval processes in workers’ comp, Medicare/Medicaid, and private insurance.

Also, in comp, many patients have just experienced sudden, catastrophic changes to their lives. Their providers need soft skills like active listening, good communication, and empathy.

At ATF Medical, most ATPs engage in mobility, seating and positioning, and adaptive housing solutions. Our ATPs collaborate with other professionals to create solutions that balance home modifications and medical equipment. Sometimes the right medical equipment can eliminate the need for a kitchen remodel. The goal is to equip the injured worker for maximum independence, functionality, and quality of life.

ATPs assess a person’s physical, functional, and clinical condition. They also consider family dynamics, lifestyle, pre-injury activities, and return-to-work options. Then they analyze hundreds of rehab technologies and recommend the most appropriate products and features.

ATPs also fit complex rehab equipment to the injured individual and educate them and their families on its use and maintenance. Our ATPs return a few weeks later to answer questions, adjust equipment, and make sure the worker is able to use its features.

In fact, our ATPs stay in touch with the injured worker throughout the life of the claim, maintaining and repairing equipment, and monitoring the worker’s progress. In many ways, they are the claims rep’s eyes and ears on the ground.

Hopefully, this article tells you what an ATP is and what they do. We will cover other industry credentials in upcoming posts. Please let us know if there is a particular one you’d like us to explore. Email us at RWyche@ATFMedical.com.

Getting Injured Workers Back on Their Feet

Tuesday, April 5th, 2022

Losing the ability to stand is one of the hardest adjustments a severely injured worker ever makes.

Humans are designed to stand and take the pressure of our weight on our feet. If sitting is the new smoking and bad for sedentary workers, imagine how bad it is for someone confined to a wheelchair. Sitting for 12-14 hours a day causes hamstrings to tighten and muscles to contract. And limited activity can lead to weight gain and obesity.

Standing is good for bone density, circulation, digestion, bladder, and bowels among other things. It’s one of the best pressure release techniques for preventing pressure injuries (wounds).

Standing brings psychological benefits as well. With a standing wheelchair, an injured woman can literally look someone in the eye and more easily interact with friends, family, and colleagues. And, whether it’s standing at a bar or a urinal, standing makes a man feel more like a man.

In addition, many patients can perform more activities of daily living when they can stand. Confidence, independence, and functionality are some benefits.

Cost tends to be the barrier to standing wheelchairs. Understandably, payers flinch at a $65,000+ price tag for a standing chair, but these chairs can avoid other significant costs:

Home modifications. There’s no need to renovate the kitchen if the worker can reach the cabinets.
Pressure injury treatment. (A hospital visit can run $100,000 or more.)
Medical treatment for complications, like urinary tract infections, osteoporosis, and digestive disorders.
Home health care workers.

Standing chairs facilitate return to work & productivity

ATF Medical worked with a police officer who was badly shot and confined to a wheelchair. He eventually returned to work in a desk job. Since he couldn’t reach some of the files, the police department hired someone to help him. After going through a standing program (see Essentials for a Successful Standing Program) and receiving a standing wheelchair, he could handle all his duties without an assistant. The department reassigned the helper, and the officer regained pride in his ability fully contribute to fighting crime.

Workers’ comp care should restore a worker to their pre-injury condition as much as possible. Not only do standing programs help do that, but they also provide major health benefits. It’s an investment, but it’s an investment in the workers’ overall physical and mental wellbeing and can contain other claim costs.

It’s worth examining claims for workers who could qualify for a standing program. I’m happy to answer questions about the equipment and our OTs and ATPs can evaluate patients, guide them to the most appropriate standing program, and help find the right equipment for them. Contact Rick Wyche, rwyche@atfmedical.com, 202-850-0561.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Permobil

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