Therapists have the ability to act as primary care musculoskeletal providers. As such, they must be able to screen for problems and needs beyond the scope of physical therapy and refer to other providers. Therapists remain secondary providers. In this role, they must continue to screen for non musculoskeletal pathologies that patients may present with when referred to them. This course provides the basis for screening medical problems.
This course does not have any prereading materials.
Course Objectives
Therapists attending this course will:
Recognize and explain at least 7 red flags that may indicate serious medical conditions, and should be referred for medical intervention.
Recognize and demonstrate understanding of at least 7 less serious yellow flags for conditions that indicate non musculoskeletal involvement, where treatment can continue but physician should be notified.
Explain at least 3 ways to incorporate the less serious conditions into their clinical decision making process.
Be able to use a medical screening form as a guide for a review of systems.
Be able to identify at least 5 signs/symptoms, in the following systems, that mimic musculoskeletal symptoms:
Cardiovascular
Respiratory
Liver
Gall bladder
Kidney
Urinary
Pancreas
Small intestine
Large intestine
Central nervous system.
Endocrine system.
Integumentary system.
The therapist will be able to effectively discuss/communicate concerns about these conditions with the appropriate medical practitioner.
The therapist will be able to identify the location of the 12 systems in course objective # 5.
The therapist will be able to palpate the visceral systems in #5c,d,e,i.
General Schedule
Day 1
8-9 Introduction/Direct Access / Screening Process Objectives
9-9:30 Algorithms/Flags
9:30-10:15 Clinical Reasoning Skills for Screening
10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-11:30 Screening for Musculoskeletal Diagnoses
11:30-12 Lab: Differential Tissue Diagnosis
12-1 Lunch
1-2 Screening for Musculoskeletal System Diseases
2-2:30 Integument
2:30-3 Cardiac System
3-3:15 Break
3:15-3:45 Cardiac Lab
3:45-4:30 Respiratory System
4:30-5:30 Respiratory Lab
Day 2
8-8:30 Brain Disorders
8:30-9 Neuroplasticity
9-9:30 Gastrointestinal
9:30-10:15 Endocrine System and PsychoNeuroImmunology