PTPN Celebrates 20 Years of Setting the Standards for
        Rehabilitation Industry
 


Nation’s First Specialty Network Cites Initiatives to Lower Workers’ Compensation and Health Care Costs


(Calabasas, Calif. – May 1, 2005) – PTPN, the country’s first and largest network of independent rehabilitation practitioners, celebrates its 20th anniversary in May 2005 – a notable accomplishment in the rapidly changing world of health care.

“When we began PTPN in 1985, we created something that had not existed before -- the nation’s first specialty network of independent rehabilitation providers,” said PTPN President & CEO Michael Weinper, PT, MPH, a physical therapist for over 35 years.

Weinper and his partner Fred Rothenberg, a former vice president at Blue Cross and one of the architects of the PPO (preferred provider organization) concept in California, produced standards of practice and a quality assurance program that have become benchmarks for the rehabilitation industry.

PTPN launched the network with 118 therapy offices in California, and has now grown to more than 1,200 offices across the United States, including 4,500 physical, occupational and speech therapists.

Don Crane, president and CEO of the California Association of Physician Groups (CAPG), said, “As the first specialty network in our organization, PTPN has provided a valuable service to our physician groups for over ten years. They’ve brought us a unique perspective with their experience in fee-for-service medicine and managing ancillary services. We congratulate PTPN for their leadership and dedication in providing patients with the highest quality rehabilitation care in the industry.”

The contributions of rehabilitation providers are more important than ever amid a national workers’ comp crisis and soaring health care costs. To mark its 20th anniversary, PTPN has launched initiatives to address those challenges:

  • PTPN CompDirect- a program for employers and insurers designed to achieve better outcomes for injured workers while controlling costs through more efficient use of services.
  • Injury prevention – industrial physical therapists make the workplace safer with ergonomic assessment, work conditioning and education to prevent injuries.
  • Management of costly illnesses – rehabilitation therapists help patients recover from serious illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and stroke. They also design full lifestyle management programs for patients with chronic conditions such as arthritis and obesity.
   		 

  • Wellness programs – therapists with expertise in fitness gear programs to aging baby boomers fearing loss of mobility and function. Physical therapists specializing in geriatrics help seniors maintain their independence with balance, strength training, and fall prevention classes.

In addition, PTPN has begun the following programs for its providers and employees

  • ACE Award – recognition of PTPN providers for “Achievement in Clinical Excellence” pertaining to the development of new and effective protocols or techniques that impact clinical practice.
  • Clinical research – a program in which PTPN members assist university researchers with clinical studies related to rehabilitation.
  • PTPNeighbors - a philanthropic group of PTPN employees, staff and member clinics responsible for volunteering for, and donating to charitable organizations in their local communities.

PTPN is the only rehabilitation network with an ongoing quality assurance program that regularly audits providers and measures patient satisfaction, monitoring that utilization of services is appropriate to the patient’s medical needs. According to the current year’s data, PTPN providers earned a patient satisfaction score of 95.4 out of 100 on 10 key patient satisfaction indicators. PTPN practitioners must pass the strictest credentialing standards in the industry, which exceed those required by the National Commission for Quality Assurance (NCQA), and often those required by state licensing, Medicare and community standards.

About PTPN:PTPN is the first and largest specialty network of rehabilitation therapists in independent practice. It has led the rehabilitation industry in pioneering national contracting, capitation, and quality assurance programs since 1985. The network has more than 1,200 provider offices (including physical, occupational and speech therapists) in 23 states. PTPN contracts with most of the major managed care organizations in the nation including insurers, workers’ compensation companies, PPOs, HMOs, medical groups, and IPAs. All members of PTPN must be independent practitioners who own their own practices.  For more information on PTPN, contact Stephen Moore at (818) 737-0246 or visit PTPN on the Internet at: www.PTPN.com.