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This study expanded previous psychometric analyses to include gender and race using measurement invariance with the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS-34) on a large sample (n = 4,013) of students referred to a university counseling center. Internal consistency was demonstrated for all subscales with all as and cos > .80. The seven-factor model provided a good to excellent fit for all participant subgroup responses. The total sample comparative fit index was .948, the root-mean-square error of approximation was .058 [.057, .0591, and the standardized root-mean-square residual was .048. Full measurement invariance was documented across all gender and racial/ethnic identity comparisons (i.e., White, Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, multiracial, Laitinolalx, non-Latinolalx). The study concluded that CCAPS-34 subscales scores can be used with confidence with college-aged students of diverse backgrounds for screening and outcome assessment purposes., The Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS; Center for Collegiate Mental Health, 2015) is a common assessment used in university counseling centers to measure psychological symptoms or distress in [...]

Important questions remain about the clinical and research utility of the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) scale, particularly related to gender. Thus, a cluster analysis was conducted with 414 university undergraduates, using the HSP scale, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised, resulting in parsimonious four-cluster models: four clusters of women and four clusters of men. Three of the four cluster types were consistent across both men and women: non-distressed medium sensitivity (low anxiety and depression, mid-range HSP), non-distressed low sensitivity (low anxiety and depression, low HSP), and distressed high sensitivity (moderate/high anxiety and depression, high HSP). Differences were found in the fourth type. A cluster of women were non-distressed and highly sensitive (low anxiety and depression, high HSP), while the fourth type of men were distressed medium sensitivity (moderate/high anxiety and depression, mid-range HSP). Scores on the HSP scale total (a = .88) indtcafed adequate internal consistency and external (divergent) validity, with medium effect sizes related to social desirability bias. Internal structural validity indicated a poor fit of the data to previously proposed one- to three-dimensional models. Counseling practice and research implications are discussed., Consideration of temperament is important to mental health counselors, given the profession's focus on human development as well as psychopathology. Mental health counselors should not attempt to help clients change [...]

On January 26, 2015, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced measurable goals and a timeline to move the Medicare program and the American health care system [...]

This psychometric synthesis reviewed all 29 articles meeting criteria and possessing psychometric results from the 20-year history (1997 to 2017) of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS). Aggregated internal consistency (coefficient alpha) was .874. Convergent comparisons were provided between the HSPS total score and 12 measures of constructs similar to the sensory processing sensitivity construct. Structural validity primarily supported both the original one- and three-factor models, as did the pattern of high intra-subscale and total scale correlations, hut a unidimensional interpretation is suggested given the low reliabilities for subscale scores. The HSPS performed adequately for a screening-level instrument. Mental health counselors are well suited to use the HSPS within their regular practice of assessing and valuing normal human development in addition to diagnosing and treating mental health disorders., Accurate clinical assessment is necessary for meaningful and ethical case conceptualization, treatment planning, intervention, and outcome assessment in mental health counseling. Without the tools to accurately screen for common, yet [...]

On January 1, physical therapists (PTs) in private practice became eligible clinicians in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)--one of 2 tracks in the Quality Payment Program (QPP) that was [...]

Background. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) introduced functional limitation reporting (FLR) to capture patient progress in functional status in outpatient rehabilitation settings. FLR along with the severity modifier (SM) measure the effectiveness of the rehabilitation services at the physical therapist evaluation (initial examination [IE]) after 10 days of therapy and at discharge. Objective. The objective of this study was to explore the completeness of FLR codes and describe changes in SMs at scheduled checkpoints for patients receiving outpatient physical therapy. Design. The design was a retrospective cohort descriptive study. Methods. A 5% random sample of 2014 Part B fee-for-service Medicare claims for outpatient physical therapy was used. FLR codes with SMs were analyzed at required periods. The number of claims with FLR codes and SMs was calculated to describe the completeness for each period. Planned changes in SMs at the physical therapist IE (current status and projected goal status) and differences in SMs from the physical therapist IE (current status) to discharge (discharge status) were calculated. Results. For 114,588 beneficiaries, 166,572 physical therapist IE and 130,117 discharge claims were analyzed. Completion was greater than 90% for current status and projected goal status FLR codes at the physical therapist IE but was markedly lower for interim and discharge reporting ([less than or equal to]50% for all). More than 75% of claims had planned improvements in SMs at the physical therapist IE (projected goal status--current status), with variations by specific FLR codes. For the episodes with FLR codes at the physical therapist IE and discharge, improvements were reported in more than 2 of 3 episodes. Limitations. Limitations for these analyses include a missing discharge claim on many outpatient physical therapy episodes and potential coding errors with Medicare claims. Conclusions. Except for the physical therapist IE, FLR codes were not submitted consistent with regulations. Most physical therapy episodes showed improvements in FLR SMs from the physical therapist IE and discharge, although the low completion rate limited interpretation. Changes to the FLR program are warranted to understand whether changes in SMs correspond to changes in a patient's function., In 2012, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act (Section 3005) required the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to 'implement, beginning on January 1, 2013, a [...]

On January l, 2017, the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Quality Payment Program (QPP)--integrating several Medicare legacy quality reporting programs, including the Physician Quality Reporting System [...]

US health care is in the midst of a paradigm shift--away from the fee-for-service payment structure, in which providers are rewarded solely by the volume of services provided, and toward [...]

The Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) began in 2007 as the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, a voluntary, incentive-based program for practitioners--including PTs in the private practice setting--that was designed to [...]

More than l million total hip and total knee procedures were performed in the United States in 2014, approximately half of which were covered under Medicare. (1) Physical therapists (PTs) [...]

In January, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its first set of timelines for a transition away from fee-for-service payment models in Medicare, in an effort [...]

In January, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its first set of timelines for a transition away from fee-for-service payment models in Medicare, in an effort to create payment systems based on outcomes rather than services provided. As the payment system shifts toward outcomes-based reimbursement, the focus is on increased provider accountability and high-quality patient care. This transformation of health care relies on reporting programs such as the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) as stepping stones to achieving broader, outcome-based payment., Major programmatic changes in PQRS for 2015 include: * Private practice PTs who didn't successfully report data on quality measures under PQRS in 2013 will see a 1.5% reduction in [...]

Reporting requirements for physical therapists (PTs) in private practice are changing under the Quality Payment Program--specifically through the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and alternative payment models (APMs). To thoroughly [...]

Under requirements that took effect on January l, 2013, physical therapists (PTs), occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists who provide outpatient therapy services must submit information on the claim form regarding [...]

Physical therapists (PTs) in private practice who successfully participate this year in the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) program will receive a 0.5% bonus payment from Medicare. But that isn't [...]

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) heightens the role and accelerates expansion of quality programs in the United States health care system. It introduces a fundamental shift in [...]

Postacute care physical therapists (PTs) may have heard the buzz about creation of a new Section GG on the Minimum Data Set (MDS) and other data-reporting changes under Medicare that [...]

Under requirements that took effect on January 1, physical therapists (PTs), occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists who provide outpatient therapy services now must submit information on the claim form regarding [...]

Background and Objective. Professional meetings, such as the American Physical Therapy Association's (APTA's) Combined Sections Meeting (CSM), provide forums for sharing information relevant to physical therapy. An indicator of whether therapists fully disseminate their work is the number of full-text peer-reviewed publications that result. The purposes of this study were: (1) to determine the full-text publication rate of work presented in abstract form at CSM and (2) to investigate factors influencing this rate. Methods. A systematic search was undertaken to locate full-text publications of work presented in abstract form within the Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy sections at CSM between 2000 and 2004. Eligible publications were published within 5 years following abstract presentation. The influences of APTA section, year of abstract presentation, institution of origin, study design, sample size, study significance, reporting of a funding source, and presentation type on full-text publication rate were assessed. Characteristics of full-text publications were explored. Results. Work presented in 1 out of 4 abstracts (25.4%) progressed to full-text publication. Odds of full-text publication increased if the abstract originated from a doctorate-granting or 'other' institution, reported findings of an experimental study, reported a statistically significant finding, included a larger sample size, disclosed a funding source, or was presented as a platform presentation. More than one third (37.8%) of full-text publications were published in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy or Physical Therapy, and 4 out of 10 full-text publications (39.2%) contained at least one major change from information presented in abstract form. Conclusions. The full-text publication rate for information presented in abstract form within the Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy sections at CSM is low relative to comparative disciplines. Caution should be exercised when translating information presented at CSM into practice., Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a current ideal within health care and refers to the integration of the best available scientific evidence with individual clinical expertise. In order for physical therapy [...]

If you have been following health policy discussions, you may have heard the phrase 'postacute care reform.' This refers to collective efforts of Congress, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid [...]

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) clearly outlines the government's intent to link quality to payment by using quality measurement and quality reporting programs to increase patient safety, [...]

The Physician Quality Reporting Initiative began in 2007 as a voluntary, incentive-based program for practitioners--such as physical therapists (PTs) in the private practice setting--that was designed to better ensure high-quality [...]

The magnitude of changes in resting plasma myostatin and IGF-1, muscle strength, and size in response to whole body or local muscle resistance training in healthy men is determined and compared. Growth factor responses local to the muscle were found to be more important than circulating factors in contributing to muscle hypertrophy with resistance training.