6 Things a GP Should Know for Patients on Insurance
Do you have a patient on an Insurance Claim? The 6 things we need you to know!
Do you know the role of an Exercise Physiologist in Insurance Claims?
Has your patient been referred to an Exercise Physiologist, or do you think they should be?
After an injury, Exercise Physiology is the perfect progression to support an individual back to work and to normal life after acute treatment, such as physiotherapy.
Although it’s not just injuries Exercise Physiologists see - any health event or new diagnosis seriously impacts well-being and capacity. Heart disease, lung disease, stroke, cancer, depression, anxiety… we work with a variety of patients, improving their lifestyle and fitness to bring them back towards their pre-disability capacity.
If you aren’t familiar with exercise physiology - You’re not alone!
Despite having a firm place in the rehabilitation world internationally, the first Exercise Physiology text book being published in 1910 and the profession being in Australia for about 30 years with medicare services being available since 2006 .... exercise physiology is still a growing field in both Australia and New Zealand.
So, without further ado, here are the 6 things you should know when we work with you.
1. Your patient is in safe hands
An accredited exercise physiologist are university qualified with a postgraduate degree. This is in addition to supervised and documented clinical experience, working with a range of health conditions such as cardiovascular, metabolic, musculoskeletal, cancer, respiratory, mental health and neurological disease.
Our training specifically equips us with an awareness of exercise contraindications. This means that above and beyond writing exercise programs, we know what to look out for, and what not to do when prescribing exercise for special populations. As well as this, all EP’s are required to hold a valid first aid and CPR certificate in order to maintain accreditation and complete continuing education courses every year.
But that’s just the knowledge and skills. Exercise physiologists, like you, are also in the health industry because WE CARE. We are compassionate, keeping your patient a person, not a number. And we are passionate about helping them get back to a normal health, and life, which often includes some sort of financial independence - i.e. work!
2. We assess, instead of guess
Our initial assessments include a comprehensive physical assessment that addresses aerobic capacity, flexibility, strength, balance, and movement patterns, depending on what the patient needs.
Through this we are aiming to identify any areas of limitation to be addressed in the exercise prescription. The better tailored the assessment, the better information we have for our program, so our assessments are designed to reflect the physical requirements of their occupation as closely as possible.
(This helps you fill out those pesky claim forms!)
We also assess behaviour change stages so we can tailor the plan to make the most of where they are and support a sustainable, self-managed future.
3. No cookie cutter programs here!
Individual people have individual needs… It’s as simple as that!
We know the necessity of designing programs that are specific to the individual and their requirements.
Our programs are heavily based on improving functional capacity as it relates to their occupational and everyday needs. This means taking into account what is required of them at work, in their home, and what they do for fun. We work to decrease the gaps between their current physical capacity and the physical requirements to get back to a normal life!
4. It’s all about lifestyle change.
Exercise physiology is more than just an exercise program - It’s about creating sustainable and proactive habits that they carry forward long after the program is over.
We may address aspects of sleep, stress, diet, workplace ergonomics, fatigue management... For us, a successful program looks beyond the area of injury or condition, and instead treats the whole person.
5. Show us a barrier, we’ll show you a solution.
Specialised Health has a reputation for "Complex Cases." Which means simple ones are breeze but we thrive of problem solving.
Not enough time? Motivation lacking? No one to look after the kids? We are prepared to go above and beyond in order to get our clients exercising (and sometimes it requires a little bit of ‘outside of the box’ thinking!). Using tactics such as motivational interviewing, weekly planning, text reminders, personalized activity choices, and program modifications help us to knock down any barriers as, or before, they arise.
6. We like to talk
We know the value of a collaborative and communicative approach. This is why we prioritise our communication with all health providers involved; liaising right from the start of the program to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Have you got a patient who would benefit from the expert help of an exercise physiologist?
Let us help you and help your patient.
Brad Domek, Director and NSW Team Leader (brad@specialisedhealth.com.au)
Carmyn Barnes, NZ Team Leader & Account Manager (carmyn@specialisedhealth.nz)
Author: Yolanda van Vugt, Exercise Physiologist, Auckland