what do we do???

[sonso]

highlights from the Physiatrist vol22no10...

-taken (altered & abbreviated) directly from the Physiatrist.

"Consistent Messages Increase Public Awareness of PM&R/ What to Say in an Elevator"

We are: Rehabilitation Physicians

Definition:
Rehabilitation physicians are nerve, muscle, bone, and brain experts who diagnose and treat injury or illness non-surgically to decrease pain and restore function.

Descriptions:
We diagnose and treat pain, without surgery, to keep people as active as possible for as long as possible

Our broad expertise enables us to treat a range of illnesses and injuries throughout a person's life

We care for our patients' ailments and explain treatments they can do for themselves and with medical specialists



The question: What do you do? Response:

I'm a rehabilitation physician- a nerve, muscle, and bone expert.

I diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses that affect how you move.

My goal is to reduce pain and restore function without surgery.

Rehabilitation physicians help patients stay as active as possible at any age. Our broad medical expertise has trained us to diagnose and treat disabling conditions throughout a person's lifetime. Rehabilitation physicians take the time needed to accurately pinpoint the source of an ailment...then we design treatments that can be done by the patients themselves or with our medical team.

Thoughts?

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[RuNnR]

I would also add that we are different b/c our goal is focusing on QUALITY of life - it's not organ/system based. Our overall goal is to maximize function in order to maximize QOL despite the circumstances (work injury, sports injury, neuro, ortho, psych, medicine issues).

So we are realizing possibilities despite the circumstances.

And we are motivators as well as doctors.....

 

[lobelsteve]

When I as on the RPC as a regional rep, I coined the phrase, " We don't save lives, we make them worth saving."

Deaf ears.

I'm a pain doc now.
But the phrase does look good on letterhead.

 

[normalforce]

" We are in the business of saving lifestyles"
NF

 

[mehul_25]

I dont think I would introduce myself as a rehabilitation physician and I dont know very many people who would.

 

[Hemisphere]

Dear Ms. Constantine,

I have not had success with the elevator statment issued
for the following reason. 1st I agree with the term rehabilitation physician, but would add the word "physical rehabilitation doctors" since most of the american public thinks of "rehabiliation" as a drug or alcohol program rather than physical rehab.

2nd, it is arrogant to imply we are "experts" of the bones, muscles, brains AND nerves!! This statement does not apply to subspecialists in pain who are not experts in the brain at all or spine experts who are not experts in the muscles and bones. Furthermore, it is arrogant because in my opinion neurologists and neurosurgeons are THE EXPERTS of the brain, orthopedists are THE EXPERTS of the bones. The Public and others in the medical field KNOW there are OTHER EXPERTS/SPECIALISTS already doing that. It doesn't answer what WE DO.

Also, the word nonsurgical is not good either, it may offend our surgical colleagues, or even patients who have had surgeries already may feel we are not working TOGETHER with their condition if we say we are NONSURGICAL.

Therefore the elevator statement is a good start, but propose the following revision:

"Physical rehabilitation doctors are SPECIALISTS in diagnosing and restoring function to damaged nerves, muscles, brains, and bones, through medicines, therapies, pain management, and adaptive equipment."

This is what I would say to anyone in the elevator who asked, whether a layman, resident, or world famous surgeon. Feel free to share this with others if anyone is still listening.

Thanks!

 

[Taus]

"Physical rehabilitation doctors are SPECIALISTS in diagnosing and restoring function to damaged nerves, muscles, brains, and bones, through medicines, therapies, pain management, and adaptive equipment."

Thanks!

I usually say something similar to that, but I preface it w/ something along the lines of this:

"Its a different mindset then most other specialties, as Physical Rehab Docs don't necessarily just take what you have, fix it and call it a day. They take what you have and figure out ways to help you get the most effective and efficient use of it and be as functional as possible in day to day life.

I usually then talk about commonly treated conditions (though it does seem easier to explain the inpatient side...) and sometimes I end it w/ a dumbed down line that my non-medical 20-something year old friends can understand: "Kind of like performance enhancement for people who have some major physical problems"

People seem to at least somewhat "get it" after this.

Thoughts?

 

[bkpa2med]

... sometimes I end it w/ a dumbed down line that my non-medical 20-something year old friends can understand: "Kind of like performance enhancement for people who have some major physical problems"

People seem to at least somewhat "get it" after this.

Thoughts?

We all love those types of friends

 

[MSKalltheway]

I know! They say the damndest things dont they?

 

[macman]

Well, I do not have an elevator line to add. I guess I'm too busy explaining what D.O. is to the pencil and notebook wielding farmer's wives here in Minnesota. (You'd probably have to see this to know what I'm talking about) Anyway, I tell patients when they arrive to the rehab unit: "Hi, I'm Dr. X, one of the rehab docs and I'll be taking care of you form now on. You're medical/surgical (which ever is appropriate there) care has completed, you've been through a lot, and its our job to get you back to your life, as much as possible." I think most normal folks can relate to that. If they still look at me like I have three heads, then I prescribe some Seroquel!

 

[Taus]

Well, I do not have an elevator line to add. I guess I'm too busy explaining what D.O. is to the pencil and notebook wielding farmer's wives here in Minnesota. (You'd probably have to see this to know what I'm talking about) Anyway, I tell patients when they arrive to the rehab unit: "Hi, I'm Dr. X, one of the rehab docs and I'll be taking care of you form now on. You're medical/surgical (which ever is appropriate there) care has completed, you've been through a lot, and its our job to get you back to your life, as much as possible." I think most normal folks can relate to that. If they still look at me like I have three heads, then I prescribe some Seroquel!

so an Osteopathic Physiatrist....is that like a pyschiatrist for bone problems?

 

[Disciple]

Funny,

The above "elevator line" is code speak to the general public and most other physicians.

I think the AAPMR should spend more time/resources on educating the public and physicians in training than coming up with catch phrases.

For example, in my opinion every PM&R residency program should be doing 1-2yearly lectures for the IM and/or FP residents at their home institutions. After all, isn't this the time when future PCPs learn what to refer to whom? Ditto for lectures to MIIs/IIIs at their institution's medical school.

I did this at my institution during my PGY-4 year. The lecture involved a description of the breadth of PM&R and a tututorial on how to properly use inpatient rehab services, when to call consults, etc. Make sure you do the "breadth of PM&R" part first or the interns/PGY-2s will get up and leave right after you tell them how to get patients off their service.

The "spine guys" should be lecturing to the Neurosurg/Ortho residents, pain guys to the gas department (just like we do at the pain society conferences e.g. AAPM, ISIS), etc. Neurologists generally know what we do so no need to go overboard with them.

Most importantly, it's not just all about talk and "chest-thumping". Actions (outcomes) speak even louder.

I see a nice lady monthly that I treat for chronic low back pain. This is the least of her problems as she has Ehlers Danlos with multi-joint instability. She has a broken down power wheel chair and worn out elastic braces on both legs. Her PCP seems to blow off her disablilty issues and each time she comes in the bulk of the visit is spent discussing these problems. I have a high patient load (15 min f/u) and don't have time to delve deeper into her issues, so I finally referred her to the local academic PM&R dept for a gait/mobility and wheel-chair eval. Now, I could explain for hours to her PCP "what Physiatrists do", but the best marketing to that PCP would be for that patient to walk into the exam room at her next f/u (even if requiring an assistive device such as forearm crutches). Or, at the very least, the patient would have the proper wheel chair with the appropriate features.

The scope of PM&R practice is so broad, and sometimes obscure, that it's often better to demonstrate your skills rather than try to come up with the best verbal description.