PHOENIX, May 20, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WebPT, a web-based electronic medical record (EMR) solution for physical therapists (PTs), occupational therapists (OTs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs), is excited to announce the launch of its functional limitation reporting solution.
Designed to help therapists comply with new functional limitation reporting requirements without compromising workflow efficiency, this solution is unique in its integration within the existing documentation framework.
"While most other EMR systems make functional limitation reporting more of an accessory that appears at the end of a patient note, WebPT offers it directly within the documentation workflow," said WebPT Co-Founder Heidi Jannenga, PT, MPT, ATC/L. "We feel that our approach creates a stronger more efficient connection between functional limitation reporting and actual patient progress, thus maximizing the opportunity therapists now have to show how great they are at treating and healing their patients."
The new regulations — implemented by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at the beginning of the year — will become mandatory July 1, 2013. After that date, all PTs, OTs and SLPs must use a series of special codes to complete functional limitation reporting for Medicare patients at designated intervals. Failure to comply with the mandate will result in automatic claim denial.
"Our industry is moving toward a pay-for-performance structure, and that means there has to be a more concrete way of assessing the effectiveness of treatment," Jannenga said. "Functional limitation reporting is another step in that direction, but to maintain therapists' efficiency with their documentation, it needs to be an integrated part of the patient profile, not just an afterthought — and that's exactly what WebPT provides."
Jannenga predicts that functional limitation reporting eventually will become the industry standard for all insurance carriers, not just Medicare.
"Understanding and adjusting to this change is absolutely crucial," she said. "This is the way of the future."
To that end, the company provides a host of free functional limitation reporting educational resources aimed at PT, OT and SLP professionals — including blogs, webinars and online quizzes — at FunctionalLimitationReporting.org.
About WebPT Inc.
With more than 20,000 members and 4,000 clinics, WebPT is the leading EMR for physical therapists (PTs), occupational therapists (OTs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) on the market. Offering a simple, affordable solution, WebPT makes it easy for therapists to transition from paper and outdated software to a user-friendly, cloud-based system. With WebPT, therapists, directors and front office staff all have access to their patients' medical records anywhere, anytime, from any web-enabled device. Based in downtown Phoenix, WebPT has a 99.9 percent uptime rate as well as a 99.5 percent customer retention rate. Learn more at WebPT.com.