Hi, my name is Luke Long, I work as a Senior Recruiter here at MDI Medical. I have been working with Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech Language Pathologists since 2005. Our company primarly places therapists and assistants in 13 week travel assignments with our hospital and SNF clients thoughout the country. I will be writing articles on various aspects of the travel industry here, you'll find everything from location info, benefits info, compensation and negotiation tips, to current trends in physical and occupational therapy.

Good morning everybody! It's a new week, I hope everyone is feeling good after the 4th of July weekend. I know a lot of you are just now getting back to work, so I will make this entry short in order to keep HR 6331 fresh in your mind today.

As you probably know from my blogs last week, the Senate failed to pass HR 6331 before the 4th of July holiday, so they have until 7/10 (this Thursday) to pass it before the 10% cut in Medicare becomes law. Medicare has agreed not to process any Medicare claims until the 10th to give Senate time to visit this bill.

This proposed cut in Medicare will directly effect the number of Physical therapy jobs as well as occupational therapy jobs with skilled nursing facilities throughout the country. I wanted to post this blog to serve as a call to arms for everyone in the therapy world. Use this link to contact your senators today, make sure you tell everyone you can to contact their state's representatives to tell them that this bill is important to you.

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Don't let your advocacy stop with yourself, be sure to tell other therapists, assistants, nurses, aides, and even patients to help with this fight. The proposed cut in Medicare moving forward would be bad news for everyone. We will be keeping a close eye on this issue as it develops, hopefully we will have good news to share with you all soon.

That's it for right now, I'm off to call my senators! Best of luck!

For more information on this issue and how it effects physical therapy payments from Medicare, see www.apta.org

So it's a new month, the numbers are in, and it looks like you have made my blog on physical, occupational, and speech therapy jobs number one on the MDI Medical blog! Thanks to everyone who came to read my ramblings, I hope they were coherent enough to help you in your day to day lives. :P

As for the month of July, I plan on keeping my blog filled with useful information for you. Expect to see an update on the looming Medicare cap, current legislation to add more H1-B Visas for nurses and physical therapis,  more info on the job market, and more helpful tips to save you time and help you  find the rehab jobs that are right for you.

The month of June was great, but keep a close eye on the blog throughout the month of July, I'm looking forward to a great month.

As a side note, I'd like to thank everyone who sent me emails or replied to blog posts to discuss the articles here. The feedback we get as bloggers for MDI helps us make this a better tool for you. If you would like to see something on the blog this month, email me anytime. My email address is llong[at]mdigroup[dot]com.

Okay, so a lot of physical therapists and physical therapy assistants coming out of school and hitting the rehab jobs market this summer are wondering one thing: How much should I ask for when negotiating my first job. In order to help you with this, I wanted to share some information with you that could be beneficial when getting down to the brass tacks on your permanent job search.

Disclaimer: These numbers are being brought to you by www.payscale.com, and are an average of therapists surveyed in full time positions throughout the country. These numbers are in no way relevant to the compensation packages offered for travel physical therapy jobs.

Less than one year experience: $52,885 per year on average.

One to four years experience: $55,213 per year on average

Five to nine years experience: $61,691 per year on average

10 to 19 years experience:   $67,137 per year on average

20 years or more:  $68,323 per year on average.

Remember, these are the average rates of pay for physical therapy jobs. These numbers could go up or down depending on the situation. Don't be surprised if you see offers that come in lower than these salary notes. Hopefully this will give you a great tool to help you negotiate the compensation that gets you all started in your physical therapy careers.

For travelers, expect to see compensation packages that are comparable to these rates, only with added perks such as per diems, housing, and other tax-free benefits that will make you glad you didn't stick around town your first year out of school. If you would like to find out more about travel therapy jobs, feel free to call or email me at any time.

I have been a recruiter with MDI Medical for 3 years now, and just when I think I've seen everything in this industry, something comes along and surprises me. I have seen the future of physical therapy jobs put in jeopardy by the Medicare Part B cap, I've seen rehab jobs surge after major events in the country, and I've seen all types of candidates looking to further their physical therapy careers.

The one thing that stays constant during these ups and downs in the market is the one person who's with you through all of the changes - your recruiter. Your recruiter is in business to develop relationships, not make sales. You can usually tell which recruiters out there are out to 'close a deal' and which ones really want to build a lasting partnership with you.

When ou are selecting your recruiter, be sure to pick someone who is savvy to the industry, but is also easy to talk to. You don't want a 'all-work-and-no-play' type of recruiter, nor do you want the opposite. If you can strike up a conversation with your recruiter about your interests, it helps you when you're out there looking for travel therapy jobs. If your recruiter knows who you are, it says to the hiring manager that your agency takes the time to get to know the people they are representing. If a facility knows that one agency is sending them a therapist they believe in, and another agency is simply tossing out any therapist they can find, the facility is going to go with the company that prides itself on its reputation.

Keep this in mind when you are shopping around for your next company, the right fit with your recruiter could make all the difference in the world.

I wanted to do a blog about a part of the industry that I don't write about enough when discussing rehab jobs - speech therapy jobs.

You know from my blog a few days back that MBS is essential for SLP jobs in a hospital setting, so I won't get into that discussion again. What I really wanted to talk about was the market for SLP-CFYs.  Currently, it is very difficult to find a CFY position for a traveler. While we can under some circumstances find a position that would work for someone seeking a CFY, the clients that can utilize someone on their clinical fellowship would want a SLP traveler that would be flexible to a large portion of the country.....like half. :P

If you are a speech language pathology graduate that is thinking about travel, you might want to look into a good solid facility for your CFY before getting out on the road. Although the academic portion of your major has been fulfilled, you will still have questions and need training for this first year. If you know that traveling is right for you, ask yourself if you could handle working in a state like Maine for 3 months, then packing up and driving to TX for the next three, and so on. If the answer is yes, SLP travel is a good choice for you. If you want to stay in the same region, you might want to build a solid foundation during your CFY before spreading your wings.

So if you have been following the proposed 10% cut in Medicare payments for physical therapy, you know that July 1st is the deadline for congress to push through legislation to stop the cuts. Since today is June 30th and we still don't see a solution, Medicare has stepped in to help. From APTA:

"To give Congress time to come to a solution on Medicare legislation, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will hold off processing claims for services provided during the first 10 days of July. If Congress does not act, these claims will still be subject to the cuts and caps."  (http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=MedicareAdvocate&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=341&ContentID=48502)

Congress will be back in session on 7/7 to pick up where we left off before the 4th of July holiday. Be sure to stay active in this issue if you want to keep these cuts from happening. I know from many therapists I have spoken with that the amount Medicare covers for patients is already low, we've got to work together as an industry to insure it doesn't get any lower. If these cuts pass, you can expect to see fewer travel therapy jobs as a direct result.

Be sure to call your senator's offices to urge them to vote in favor of HR 6331. HR 6331 passed in the House of Representatives, but has yet to make it through senate. We only have a few days after the 4th of July to make this happen before Medicare claims from 7/1 through 7/10 get cut. Here is a link to help you spread the word, call your Senator ASAP!

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Referrals are the lifeblood of the staffing industry. More travel therapy jobs are filled with referrals here at MDI than any other candidate source, and for good reason - referrals are the smartest investment a company can make. Here at MDI, we are constantly trying to find speech language pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and assistants. (PTAs and COTAs) Referrals are the easiest way to find these in-demand therapists. I wanted to do this entry to educate you on how to get the most out of your biggest untapped resource - the people you know.

I know that a lot of people don't want to refer a friend to an agency in fear that the agency will pursue them with an onslaught of therapy jobs and end up hurting your relationship with the friend. Here are some things that can help you benefit from referrals without becoming the enemy.

First off, let the agency know what type of relationship you have with the referral. Some people don't mind having their info given to a company, some do. If you would like to keep your name confidential in referring the friend, let the agency know, they will respect your wishes.

Second, you can get some great incentives for your referral. I am currently offering a 500 dollar bonus or a 500 dollar gas card for a placed referral. In the past I've even give someone a day of PTO. Remember that your referral is valuable, find out what your company is offering for your referrals.

Third, if you are a great source of referrals for your company, you will get the best service possible on your search for travel therapy jobs. If a company knows you help them find therapists wherever you go, they're more likely to get you what you're looking for. A loyal employee that helps the company as a whole will have that loyalty paid back with some great opportunities and a great working relationship.

Keep these tips in mind as you're traveling, referrals are the name of the game, so make those connections wherever you go.

Most travelers out there work on a per-contract basis - you breeze in for your travel therapy jobs, then leave town for your next assignment. What happens when you decide to switch companies? Many traveling physical therapists don't read the fine print on their contracts, which can get you in trouble down the road. Here's a quick overview for you to keep in mind.

Most agencies have a non-compete agreement that is part of your employment agreement with the agency. This agreement is in place to serve two purposes. First, it discourages unethical behavior on the facility side of the business. For example, if you were to let an agency submit you to a hospital in Atlanta, GA, that hospital could not decline on hiring you as a traveler and make an offer to you to become a staff member a few days later. This also works the other way around, a non-compete protects an agency from a traveler trying to negotiate a direct hire deal with a client he or she agreed to interview with for a travel assignment.

The term on a typical non-compete agreement is one year. So if you worked an assignment six months ago in Atlanta, GA with a hospital we will call "X," you could be held liable for breach of contract if you contacted an agency and said "I worked at X a few months back, can you see if they will rehire me through you?"

Non-competes are a necessary evil in this industry, there are a lot of unfortunate situations that have caused non-competes to become such a big part of business of filling therapy jobs. Keep in mind that while there are gray areas in any agreement, you could be setting yourself up for a sticky situation if you break your non-compete with an agency. As always, honesty is the best policy when it comes to your contract, so talk to your recruiter about the terms of your agreement if you get an offer from someone else that might be a breach.

Today's blog is on a subject that no one really likes to discuss, but is a definite reality in the current climate of the travel therapy industry - double submittals.

Whenever you have a market of multiple recruiters working with multiple physical and occupational therapy pros, there are bound to be overlaps. While trying to fill travel therapy jobs, there are occasions where two recruiters might be working with the same physical therapist, occupational therapist, or assistant. Some people may say to themselves "why is this bad?" I wanted to give you an insight into this market to explain why you want to be careful with your resume, and give you some helpful tips to maximize your job search's effectiveness.

First off, when a company submits your resume to a facility, they are basically saying to this facility "I am this therapist's agent, he or she has agreed to allow me to represent him or her at your facility." What causes a lot of grief and confusion is when a company gets your resume from two different staffing firms.

If a rehab manager sees your resume twice on his or her desk from different agencies, the manager could pass over your resume in hopes of staying out of a dispute. This could seriously hurt your chances with that positions that seems perfect for you. Also, in a lot of cases, a manager will go with the agency that submitted your resume first, which could be the company that submitted your resume to every facility in the area you're looking for without understanding what you are looking for in an assignment.

Here are some tips to protect you from double-submittals while looking for your next travel positions.

First, ask the agency or agencies you are working with not to submit your resume without your authorization - and stick to your guns! If you allow an agency to submit without permission, it would be easy for that company to blanket an area with your resume, which would mean they are only getting positions that call them back, not positions that are even right for you. This practice is known as 'throwing spaghetti on the wall,' because the method behind the madness is the hope that something will stick if enough options are pitched. I'm not saying that every traveler finds perfect travel therapy jobs on their job search, but everyone can appreciate a little extra effort.

Second, keep a list of where your resume has been presented and keep up with it. If you can tell an agency you have already been submitted to a position, the agency will appreciate your efforts to stay organized and keep them in the loop. This will also save you a lot of trouble when you get that frantic call from an agency  wanting to tell you about new travel therapy jobs.

Finally, if you have been submitted by two agencies, know which agency truly deserves to represent you. If you are using an agency as a backup plan and they happen to find a great opportunity for you, it's unfair for you to go back to your current agency for that position. Keep in mind that recruiters are trying to make a living in this business, and they work very hard to bring options to the table. If you are presented with this situation, do the right thing and tell the interviewing manager who has the right to represent you. The manager will appreciate your honesty and respect your wishes.

If you are a physical therapy assistant, perhaps you know of several states in the US that are 'license-free' states. What this means is, you can practice as a physical therapy assistant or take PTA jobs without having to go through a license process. Most of these states require a degree and several other pieces of paperwork, so it's still a good idea to take a look into the state's board of physical therapy if you're planning a move for future travel therapy jobs.

The states that do not require a license for PTAs are currently the following: Colorado, Hawaii, Washington, Michigan and the Utah.  Keep in mind that when looking for therapy jobs in these states, you need to understand that since these states do not have a lengthy process prior to practicing as a PTA, there are a lot of other candidates looking for positions in these locations as well.

I'd like to send out a thank you to the APTA website for keeping this list update, you can find more useful info at www.apta.org.

Okay, I wanted to end the day today with a lighthearted blog about something we all see when we're on our way to our next travel assignment, but not everyone writes about:  WEIRD roadside landmarks.

I have posted some interesting landmarks for you to check out if you're ever between travel therapy jobs in these areas. Some of these landmarks are even in cities and towns we place travelers in, consider this a peek inside something that makes this country great - the strange stuff you see off of the highways and interstates. These landmarks were all collected on a site called Roadside America, you can check them out at www.roadsideamerica.com if you'd like to look up the quirky stops on the way to your next assignment.

First off, we have the London Bridge in Lake Havasu City, AZ. This town (and great location for travel physical therapy jobs as well as physical therapy assistant jobs) boasts a landmark that is truly unique - The London Bridge itself. This landmark was purchased from the city of london in the mid 60's by the founder of Lake Havasu City, shipped over from the UK, and reassembled here in the states.


Our next quirky landmark is the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, OH. This landmark celebrates all things signs, from neon to porcelin. This museum also owns the earliest known painting of Col. Sanders of KFC fame. If you're in Cincinnati this year, (they have a great market for physical therapy jobs) you should check out this strange museum.


That's all for today, I plan on posting several more blogs about these strange landmarks this week, stay tuned for tomorrow's post, I have some great things in store for you!

While reading a few articles on APTA's website today, I came across an article about Tiger Woods, golf, and ACL surgery. ACL injuries effect many atheletes in many different types of sporting events annually. Bud Ferrante Jr, PT, a spokesman for APTA, took some time out today to give his thoughs on Tiger Woods's recovery outlook as well as offered some great tips for helping friends and loved ones avoid a dreaded ACL injury.

This article really helps to inform consumers and potential patients on risks of ACL injuries. Since the subject is based around Tiger Woods, the article is mostly related to golfers. I have posted a link to the article below, if you know an avid golfer out there, you might want to share with him or her.

If you're currently working on one of the many travel therapy jobs in an outpatient clinic out there, you might want to keep this info handy. As a small survey, how often do you guys see patients for these injuries?

I have worked with a lot of Speech Language Pathologists since I have started placing traveling therapists her at MDI, and there are several things that every SLP should keep in mind while looking for an assignment. Typically, the market for speech language pathology jobs is weighted toward school-based SLP jobs and skilled nursing facilities. In some areas, we see hospital positions for SLP travelers, but there are things you need to keep in mind if you're looking for your next assignment in a hospital.

Most acute care hospitals require an SLP that is familiar with MBS. MBS, or Modified Barium Swallow, is a technique that many of our acute care hospital assignments utilize on a daily basis. If you do not have experience with MBS, help your recruiter represent you properly by letting him or her know what skills you have that are similar such as other swallowing studies) or how much experience you have observing MBS if you don't have much hands-on time with them.

Another skill you can gain major points for having while looking for travel therapy jobs is experience with Vital Stim. If you have a lot of experience with Vital Stim, you will have a better chance at landing that clinical position.

I understand a lot of SLP travelers out there work in the school systems during the winter and pick up assignments for the summer breaks. Keep these requirements in mind next time you're looking for your next speech therapy job, they could save you a lot of time in the long run.

Since I started working in this industry, I have seen traveling physical therapy jobs in HI on occasion. These positions are typically travel therapy jobs that are essentially working vacations. Here are some things to consider when looking at that Hawaiian position for your next travel assignment.

Getting to HI is expensive: Most companies offer some sort of travel reimbursement for your assignments, these reimbursements are typically factored into the budget for the position itself, so a physical therapist driving 2 hrs for a position could make more per hour with a smaller travel reimbursement than a physical therapist driving across the country. What typically happens with a position in HI is the cost of airfare has a huge impact on the amount agencies are able to pay you. Keep this airfare in mind when speaking with your recruiter, a round trip ticket to HI could cost over $1000 dollars depending on your situation.

Housing is also very expensive: The housing market in HI is a vacation home market, and land is not cheap. Land costs of over $80,000 an acre are not unheard of in the state. With that in mind, a small one bedroom apartment that would typically be 700-1000 dollars in the mainland could be two to three thousand dollars per month in HI. As with your travel reimbursement, this housing cost will have an impact on your wages.

The cost of living in HI is going up: I was watching a report on CNN today regarding the current energy crisis. Hawaiians import all of their food from the mainland United States, and with the soaring fuel prices, the cost of everyday items are increasing. Expect to see prices in excess of $5 for a loaf of bread, $4 for a half a gallon of milk, and $5 dollars a pound for tomatoes.

When you see a posting for travel assignments in HI, be sure to speak with your recruiter about the realities of the financial situation you will be in. Keep in mind that with the high costs of logistics for your assignment, it will be very hard to offer you a competitive rate. I've seen therapists take large pay cuts in their hourly rate just to have the chance.So be sure to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of this travel assignment in paradise before you sign on the dotted line.

 There is currently a bill in committee in the House of Representatives that could have a great impact on the shortage of full time and traveling physical therapists here in the United States. The bill, called H.R. 5924, or "The Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act," was introduced by a representative from FL named Robert Waxler. Basically, this bill will allow additional Visas to be set aside for foreign-trained nurses and physical therapists.

As of today, this bill currently has 11 co-sponsors and is being supported by the AHA. From what I've discovered on www.opencongress.org, it seems this bill has not yet had a chance to be voted on by the House of Representatives.

Although it has a long way to go, this bill could be a great development in the world of physical therapy and nursing. The shortage is a major issue nationwide, and some new visas for these in-demand professions could help ease the pinch on a lot of hospitals and nursing homes.

If you would like to see more movement on this bill, contact your district's representative and let him or her know that H.R. 5924 is important to you. Here is the website to track down the representative for your district. https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml

As I was browsing physical therapy news articles today, I came across an article about a new product that has been doing great things in nursing homes when it comes to saving patients from hip fractures related to falls. The product is called HipSaver, they make soft pads that are placed over the patients hips to cushion the blow in the event of a fall.

What sets HipSavers apart is the fact that the Journal Of the American Medical Directors Association did a study on HipSavers and found that they reduced fall-related hip injuries in this particular study by 80%. 

If you're a traveling physical therapist, (or traveling occupational therapist for that matter) working in a skilled nursing facility, you don't need my blog to tell you that falls are a huge problem for the geriatric patients. Next time you're looking at potential travel physical therapy jobs, find out if the facility you are speaking with has a hip protection program in place. If not, perhaps you can suggest a product like HipSaver to increase the results of this program/start a new program.

Company website: www.hipsaver.com

 As I was browsing through my usual sources to keep myself current on trends in travel therapy, I noticed an interesting article on APTA's website relating to the Medicare cap. I have pasted the article below:
    

"Congress failed this week to advance legislation to protect patients and health care providers. Only 12 days remain until Medicare payments are scheduled to be cut by more than 10% and the exceptions process that prevents beneficiaries from having their therapy services capped will expire. Senate Democratic and Republican leaders are struggling to reach a compromise after a procedural vote blocked debate last week. Senate Democrats are talking with colleagues in the House of Representatives on possible alternatives for moving legislation to prevent payment cuts and expiration of the therapy cap exceptions process on July 1.  

It is critical for members of Congress to hear now from APTA members and their patients that legislation must be passed next week to prevent disruptions in patient care. Use the "Stop the Cap" Resource Center to contact your legislators and inform your patients.

Even if Congress acts before July 1, it is possible that the processing of some Medicare claims could be temporarily affected by payment cuts or therapy cap denials. Physical therapists should prepare now for possible disruption of Medicare claims processing on and after July 1 and consider how to adjust their practices if payment cuts and caps on services go into effect. APTA's "Resources for Overcoming Practice and Reimbursement Challenges" Web page offers members guidance on possible practice adjustments."
(Source - The American Physical Therapy Association)

What does this article mean for you? I would love to hear your feedback on this development and the effect it might have on your current situation if you ware working in a facility with a lot of part A and B patients.

On the staffing side of the business, we have seen the rise of the part B cap and the effect it has had on open travel therapy jobs. A lot of physical therapists and physical therapy assistants had to look much harder for positions after the initial part B cap, do you see this as a continuation of the decline from Medicare or an oversight by Congress that will be cleared up soon? 

I would love to hear your opinions on this article, we will be following this story closely. 

    
It's a new week, so it's time to take a look at some of our newest travel physical therapy jobs.

If you see something you like here, feel free to drop me a line and we'll be happy to give you more info on any of these jobs.

• Physical Therapist needed for an inpatient/outpatient assignment in Macon, GA.
• Physical Therapist needed for a hospital-based outpatient assignment in the heart of Chicago, IL!
• Physical Therapist needed for a hospital assignment in the Sarasota area of Florida!
• Traveling physical therapist needed for an outpatient hospital position in a prestigious hospital in Baltimore, MD

The travel therapy industry has been hit hard by the recent upswing in gas prices. As of this morning, the price of gas per gallon is on average 4 dollars and up. With gas prices on the rise, may therapists and assistants are trying to find ways to save money on gas while looking into travel therapy jobs. I wanted to take a minute to debunk some myths concerning your vehicle's fuel economy to help you focus your efforts to save money at the pump.

1. Additives, magnets, plastic rings, pills for your gas tank, etc. - THESE DO NOT WORK.
With the increase of gas prices across the country, we have also seen an increase in companies offering a miracle item to increase your vehicle's miles per gallon. The EPA and Consumer Reports magazine have extensively tested these gas economy wonder-products and concluded that in almost every case, there were no noticeable increases in fuel efficiency.
Luke's Tip: If you have an older car, have the fuel system flushed and the fuel injectors cleaned. Although it will be a little more expensive the a few bottles of the convenience store injector cleaner, you will save much more in gas in the long run.

2. Rolling down your windows causes your car to use more gas/Using the air conditioner uses more gas. -
First, let's start with rolling down your windows to save gas. The myth states that driving with your windows down creates more drag on your car, thus decreasing fuel efficiency. The popular show Mythbusters took this urban legend to task and found that there is no marginal decrease in fuel economy. Consumer Reports  and the website Edmunds.com did similar studies, and they have come to the same conclusion as well.
Next, let's talk about your A/C, because I have some great news for you if you live in the south. Air conditioning, while it does draw power away from your car's engine, has an almost unnoticeable effect on miles per gallon. This fact has been tested and proven by Mythbusters, Consumer Reports, and Edmunds.com. What they found was at the most, you could see one less mile per gallon with the A/C on full blast. If you are on the highway, you most likely will not notice the difference at all.
Luke's Tip:  While you're on your way to your next travel assignment, it might be a good idea to use your A/C for comfort on the highway and switch to windows down in town if you absolutely MUST stretch those pennies. Saving More on the trip to travel therapy jobs will mean more money to take home.

3. Turning your engine off during long standstill periods saves gas.
This myth is actually the only one I have found that is true. Before cars were equipped with fuel injector systems, a lot of gas would be used in the starting of an engine. This is no longer true, your car actually uses less gas on the start up than it would if you were parked with the car running for 30 seconds or more. If you catch yourself sitting still for an extended period of time, turning the engine off could save you a few dollars before your next fill-up.

Now that we have a little more info at our disposal regarding fuel efficiency, you can know that you're making the right choice when picking a location  for the next round of travel therapy jobs.