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Effective Physical Therapist Management of Patients in the Emergency Setting: Differential Diagnosis, Intervention, and Inter-Professional Collaboration 2 sessions- January 12th and January 14th
PT
Course Level:
Introductory
Course Type:
Live Webinar
January 12–14, 2027
Check-In Time: 1/12/2027 4:45:00 PM
Course Time(s): January 12th, 2027-5:00PM-8:30PM January 14th, 2027- 5:00PM-8:30PM
Course Location:
Contact Hours: 7.0
Course Completion:
Course intended to be completed in full.
Discipline Specific CEU Approvals:
- PT: This course will be submitted to the MN Board of PT for credit approval; however, approval or the full number of credits is not guaranteed. Participants will receive a certificate of completion, which may be used toward professional licensure.
Instructor: Dr. Michael Lebec PT, Ph.D.
Instructor Bio:
Dr. Michael Lebec has been teaching in higher education for over 25 years and presently serves as core faculty in Midwestern University Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program. From 2000 – 2003, he served as a staff therapist in the Emergency Department (ED) at St. Joseph’s Carondelet Hospital in Tucson, AZ. This program was among the first to offer full-time physical therapist (PT) service in the ED and was featured in the September 2000 issue of PT magazine. He has authored eight peer-reviewed publications and numerous national and international presentations related to this practice while also acting as a consultant for many developing and existing U.S. ED PT programs. In 2011, he founded and for many years served as moderator for the ED PT Focus Group within the Academy of Acute Care of the APTA and served on the APTA ED task force which worked to develop resources for individuals interested in expanding practice into this environment. His work has been featured as an innovative approach to health care by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, AHC Media, and the APTA who selected him as one of 18 practice innovators at the 2013 APTA Innovations Summit in Washington DC. In November of 2022, he was recruited to speak on the topic of ED PT practice in southern Spain as one of three invited international presenters.
Financial Disclosure:
Dr. Michael Lebec receives a fee for speaking and instructing on this topic
Non‑financial Disclosure:
No non‑financial disclosures to report.
Specifically, participants will learn to distinguish between mechanical and systemic sources of pathology, conduct an efficient physical exam, and administer interventions for health conditions most common among patients receiving emergency services. Of particular focus will be perspective on how to maximize care delivery in non-traditional settings where patient interactions are limited to one or very few episodes of care. While the primary focus will be on training individuals to provide care in hospital-based emergency departments, learned skills will also be of applicable in fast-track, urgent care, walk-in clinics, and even international disaster relief settings.
Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to:
- Determine how Emergency Department Physical Therapist service provides added value over traditional care
- Identify specific but diverse patient populations that can benefit from physical therapy management.
- Prioritize efficient examination procedures that identify areas of need in patients presenting to emergency settings.
- Implement evidence-based interventions that are effective and possible within abbreviated episodes of care.
- Apply contemporary principles associated with physical therapist practice for conditions affecting the spine in a manner specific to patients presenting to the Emergency Department setting.
- Apply contemporary principles associated with physical therapist practice in a manner specific to patients presenting to the Emergency Department setting with Vestibular conditions.
- Apply contemporary principles associated with physical therapist practice for conditions affecting the extremities in a manner specific to patients presenting to the Emergency Department setting.
- Screen for and identify patients at risk for falls in a manner feasible and effective in the Emergency Department setting
- Gaining Buy-In: The Value of ED PT Service (0 – 1 hrs)
- ED PT from a “Bird’s Eye View”
- Proposed benefits of ED PT
- Common areas of focus in ED PT
- The value of ED PT services
- Review of the literature
- Cost-Effectiveness Evidence in support of ED PT
- Summary of Program Outcomes
- Anecdotal report from ED PT Stakeholders
- Practice Models: Descriptions and Comparison of Existing & Established Models for ED PT Practice (1 – 1.5 hrs)
- Description / Demographics / Case Examples
- Daily operations
- Common diagnoses managed
- Common interventions provided
- Competency in the ED Part I - Differential Dx and Patient Management (1.5 – 3.5 hrs)
- Orientation to the ED culture
- Culture shift: Managing higher levels of acuity and anxiety in your patient population
- Imaging essentials for ED PTs
- Using test clusters to guide diagnosis & clinical prediction rules to guide
- treatment
- Using research to predict patient prognosis and provide follow-up recommendations
- Managing individuals with opiate dependency
- Effective use of modalities
- Manual therapy in the ED setting: With whom and when?
5:00-6:30
- Competency in the ED Part II – Evaluation & Treatment of Spinal Conditions in the ED – Special Management Considerations & Recommendations for Discharge (0 – 1.5 hours)
- Using Treatment-Based Classification Systems to Guide Treatment
- PT Interventions for Spinal Conditions in the ED
- Competency in the ED Part III – Evaluation & Treatment of Conditions Affecting the Lower Extremities, Fall Risk, and Vestibular Conditions (1.5 – 3.5 hrs)
- Examination Considerations in the ED for Common Conditions Affecting the Extremities
- Fundamental Considerations for Management of Fall Risk and Vestibular Conditions
Contact Information
Fairview Rehab Services Continuing Education Department
Email: rehabce@fairview.org
Phone: 612-672-5607