Physical Therapist - Home Health

Reports directly to the Home Health/Hospice Manager and responsible for providing skilled physical therapy on an intermittent basis in the patient’s home and at times, for hospice patients in the acute care facility.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides physical therapy services in accordance with the orders of a physician and under a plan of care in a patient’s home.
• Conducts initial evaluation visit and records the health needs of the patient.
• Initiates Plan of Care when nursing services are not involved with the case and makes revisions if and when necessary.
• Formulates a physical therapy plan based on the evaluation and/or diagnosis.
• Evaluates the effects of the care given and regularly re-evaluates the patient’s physical therapy needs.
• Provides services requiring substantial specialized physical therapy skills based on the physician’s orders and diagnosis. Examples of these services include, but are not limited to:
• Physical assessment
• Patient and family teaching
• Stroke rehabilitation
• Balancing techniques
• Ambulation with assistive devices
• Cardiac rehabilitation
• Palliative care (i. e. Range of Motion to prevent contractures)
• Others
• Initiates appropriate preventive and rehabilitative procedures.
• Counsels the patient and his/her family in meeting physical and related needs.
• Acts as coordinator of the health care team to maintain the proper linkages with a continuum of care in the absence of nursing.
• Provides summary reports to the patient’s physician about the patient under care when the patient’s condition changes or there are deviations from the plan of care, or at least every 60 days.
• Makes referrals to other agencies or services.
• Prepares clinical and progress notes on the relevant and specialized physical therapy services.
• Participates in Clinical Record Reviews, in-service programs and staff meetings.
• Coordinates the care of all patients in his/her caseload.
• Makes the home health aide assignment, prepares written instructions for the aide and supervises the aide in the home in the absence of nursing services.
• Complies with FHP Home Health Policies and Procedures Infection Control.
• Promotes pain management techniques.
• Performs other duties that may be assigned from time to time.

Education and Experience

1. Graduate of bachelor’s degree; License is required

2. Minimum of 2 years experience in providing skilled physical therapy on an intermittent basis in the patient’s home and at times, for hospice patients in the acute care facility.

3. Must have the appropriate level of behavioral maturity and patience in handling patients.

4. Must have the diplomacy and tact in handling difficult and irate patients.

5. Very good interpersonal relationship skills and can work and relate well with co-employees, patients and customers.

6. Outstanding communication skills and persuasiveness, especially the ability to communicate instructions and procedures for treatments, keeping the patients and giving them the desired level of comfort and confidence.

7. Must have strong sensitivity to the needs and anxieties of patients and the ability to motivate patients to undergo treatments and/or procedures.

8. Strong ethics and a high level of personal and professional integrity.

9. Knowledgeable of federal and state laws and requirements relating to healthcare management.

10. Computer literate and very highly proficient in using MS office programs.