Letter from the CA PT Board.

Yes, the CA Board for PT found me with the help of an old employee of mine.  He fingered me and 3 other therapists in my practice.  I of course can't prove it, but you know when you know.  Given that he took it upon himself to personally call one of my therapists a month ago during business hours to let her know that "she was working illegally and should quit her job or face repercussions."  I think my deduction is justified.  This idiot in the same conversation had the gall to ask her if she would consider working for him!  God help us if this is where we are going.  Hi, I'm going to report you to the board and then presume you'd consider working for me since you will be out of a job!   The logic is staggering.  It is however, the kind of story that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside doesn't it?
That being said, I can't say I was surprised.  This individual's character is exactly the kind of disappointment I highlighted in my last post.  And the CAPTA pretty much empowered him to do it.  It leaves the kind of taste in your mouth that makes you not want to ever give another penny to the APTA.  And in case you were wondering, I've been a member since I was a student, for over 14 years.
Nevertheless, life is going on.  I am in the process of submitting my "plan" to become compliant with the assistance of a lawyer or two.  I can't really get into specifics at this time, but all I can say to my whistle blowing adversary, there is a significant chance NOTHING is going to change for 2011 as I work on complying.  And if plan A doesn't pan out, there are plans B and C behind doors numbered two and three.  So I hope he doesn't get his hopes up just yet that a moving van will be backing up to my front door any time soon.  
As he and many other out patient PT's are going to find, many of these clinics are not going to vanish.  Many groups will arrange rent back agreements to satisfy leases, possibly even arrangements to handle billing services (all of which is completely legal) and as a result, will continue to carry on healthy referral relationships with their ex-employers.  Who knows, they might even grow.... but how?  Can you imagine that the docs might be a little vengeful against their neighbors that forced them to dump their PT clinics?  Maybe they wouldn't be disappointed, seeing those smaller clinics in the community that lobbied against them, continue to struggle given that they have hurt their own practices.  If you think I'm far off, ask Paul Gaspar how many referrals he is getting now a days from his neighboring docs after being the primary whistle blower for the CAPTA on the AB 783 debate. They aren't exactly wrapping their arms around him for his good work in Sacramento.  At this point, shouldn't we all know there is policy and then there is reality.  We shall see which one has a bigger impact on the field of PT.
Given how this thing is playing out and how this is being handled, it strikes a chord in me that makes me want to work even harder to put characters like my snitching ex-employee out of business.  I will look forward to checking in on him in about a year to see how much different his bottom line looks when this all shakes out.  Stay tuned, as I will fill you in first hand as this process unfolds over the upcoming months.

CA PT Board posts a deadline

• Physical therapists working for POPTS in California have been given a deadline of September 1, 2011 to submit a "plan" for compliance to the board.  All physical therapists working for a POPTS should either find new employment or submit your compliance timeline prior to this date or face penalties regarding your PT license.  A letter was sent out to 155 therapists on 7/22/11 that had been reported to the board for being involved with a POPTS.   A copy of the letter can be viewed at the following link:  stoppopts.org.
• It should be noted that the board is not doing a systematic review of all clinics in California, nor is it sending this letter out to all its licensees, which in my opinion would be the correct thing to do.  If they were to do so they could immediately take out the excuse "I didn't know" from every therapist in the state that is working for a POPTS and hasten their ability to have their new ordinance take effect.  Isn't that what they are shooting for anyway?  More importantly, from a governance standpoint, they would be taking control of this issue in a clear voice, instead of letting the private practice special interest group be their mouthpiece.  
• To get a feel for what I am referring to, see: http://cppsig.com.  The amount of rhetoric that has come from this group regarding the topic of AB 783 has been unparalleled to any other debated issue I've seen come down the pipe in my twelve years as a therapist.  Note, they are the entity that has lobbied to stop POPTS over the past 2+ years.
• Please note, at this time, the board has chosen to send out these letters to only therapists that have been reported to be in violation of current California law by either the public or other therapists.  Who do you think the vast majority of these "complaints" have come from?  Yes, your guess is probably the same as mine; the complaints are coming from the same disgruntled private practice PT's that feel they are loosing business from their accused brethren.  
• As a matter of fact, all POPTS PT's that testified in front of the state congress at the beginning of the summer in support of AB 783 were all conveniently added to this list of 155 by the special interest PT group sitting across the isle from them.  So much for first amendment rights!?  If you don't believe me, ask a person who went and testified what they found in their mailbox this week.  
• As a result of how this matter is being handled, it has turned into a campaign of back biting and betrayal amongst our own profession.  PT's snitching on PT's in hopes of putting competing clinics out of business to better their own practice.  A very unifying message.  Bravo.  I'm sure the doctors couldn't be happier as they watch us rip the unity of the CAPTA apart.
• A final note.  For those of you that have participated in this noble practice of reporting other PT's to the board, if you think this is going to solve your problems, please review the reimbursement rates of your major insurance contracts before you breathe a sigh of relief.  The reality is: they aren't going to get any prettier in the coming months, with or without a POPTS around the corner, and that is the real anchor around your neck whether you want to admit it or not.