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Ellen R. Strunk

PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

Ellen R. Strunk has worked in various roles and settings as a clinician, manager/director, and policy expert. Ellen is an expert at helping customers understand the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) prospective payment systems in the skilled nursing facility and home health settings, as well as outpatient therapy billing for all provider types. For the past 13 years, Ellen has worked with dozens of clients as principal consultant and founder of Rehab Resources and Consulting, Inc. Her experience in both the home and community aspects of the post-acute care continuum gives her a unique perspective on finding solutions while ensuring a patient-centered approach is not lost in translation. Ellen also supports organizations' post-acute care work in many areas, including provider education, measure development, and regulatory compliance.

In addition to helping clients meet their operational and clinical goals, Ellen lectures nationally on the topics of regulatory compliance in the post-acute care space and coding/billing/documentation to meet medical necessity guidelines and payer regulations, as well as pharmacology for rehabilitation professionals, clinically appropriate exercise for older adults, and the importance of functional outcomes to value-based payment. Ellen is a published author, having contributed to the fourth edition of Guccione's Geriatric Physical Therapy with a chapter titled "Health Policy for Physical Therapists and Older Adults."

Volunteerism and advocacy are an important part of Ellen's life. As an advocate for issues to advance the care of the older adult, she has served on a number of CMS technical expert panels, served as co-project lead on obtaining National Quality Forum endorsement of a functional outcome measure, and personally advocated to Congress and CMS on a number of policies affecting physical therapy.

Ellen is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), having served on the Payment Policy and Advocacy Committee, where she advanced the agenda of physical therapy in post-acute care. As a longtime member of the APTA Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy, the APTA Home Health Section, and the APTA Health Policy and Administration Sections, she has served in senior leadership positions as well as authored multiple articles and educational tools for the sections. She serves on a state level as the practice and reimbursement chair for the Alabama Physical Therapy Association. She is a member of the American Health Care Association (AHCA), the National Association of Rehabilitation Providers and Agencies (NARA), and the National Association for the Support of Long Term Care (NASL).

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Courses with Ellen R. Strunk

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The Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM): Everything You Need to Know

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

The Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM): Everything You Need to Know

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Video Runtime: 57 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 40 Minutes

Clinicians working in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) need to understand the prospective payment system under which the SNF is paid. Given that staffing in SNFs regularly changes, clinicians may benefit from an overview of the important aspects of the Patient-Driven Payment Model, or PDPM. This course will cover the fundamental concepts that drive the SNF prospective payment model and will server as an introduction for new clinicians and a refresher for others. By the end of the course, clinicians will gain an understanding of the importance of documenting patient characteristics that support the medical necessity of SNF care.

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Section GG: Mastering Self-Care Assessment

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

Section GG: Mastering Self-Care Assessment

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Video Runtime: 30 Minutes; Learning Assessment: 30 Minutes

Are you or your team challenged with coding the Section GG mobility items accurately? This course will support clinicians by providing clinical training to ensure standardized (that is, consistent and accurate) Section GG mobility assessments for clinicians working in all post-acute care settings. Inaccuracies with both assessment and documentation can negatively impact your quality outcome scores and ultimately your payment. This course is ideal for nurses, therapists, and other clinicians who are working in the inpatient rehabilitation facility, long-term care hospital, skilled nursing, and/or home health settings.

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Section GG: Mastering Mobility Assessment

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

Section GG: Mastering Mobility Assessment

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Video Runtime: 43 Minutes; Learning Assessment: 36 Minutes

Are you or your team challenged with coding the Section GG Mobility items accurately? This course will support clinicians by providing clinical training to ensure standardized (that is, consistent and accurate) Section GG mobility assessments for clinicians working in all post-acute care settings. Inaccuracies with both assessment and documentation can negatively impact your quality outcome scores and ultimately your payment. This course is ideal for nurses, therapists, and other clinicians who are working in the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility, Long-Term Care Hospital, Skilled Nursing, and/or Home Health settings.

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Optimal Care Management in a Changing Regulatory Environment

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

Optimal Care Management in a Changing Regulatory Environment

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Video Runtime: 82 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 40 Minutes

Most physical therapists and physical therapist assistants don't go to physical therapy (PT) programs to learn about payment models and regulatory issues. In fact, a therapist's understanding of how PT services are paid for is often seen as less important than obtaining knowledge in specific areas of clinical care. Unfortunately, rules and regulations are constantly moving targets that quickly become out-of-date, which makes it challenging to stay abreast of these important issues. No matter how long they have been practicing or what setting they work in, clinicians have a responsibility to maintain compliance with the rules and to advocate for appropriate care for their patients. This course will address the bigger picture so clinicians can clearly understand the context of payment systems in order to design appropriate plans of care, demonstrate compliance and integrity in clinical practice, and identify resources for accurate information to guide practice.

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Fundamental Concepts of Defensible Documentation

Presented by Maureen McCarthy, BS, RN, RAC-MT, QCP-MT, DNS-MT, RAC-MTA and Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

Fundamental Concepts of Defensible Documentation

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Video Runtime: 45 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 24 Minutes

It is often said, "If it is not documented, it was not done." This cliche, while true, often triggers frustration in clinicians struggling to keep up with documentation. Poor documentation has many costs for SNF providers, including lost time and lost money. Poor documentation is a drain on the morale of nurses and therapists and is more likely to portray the wrong message about the value and quality of care delivered in a skilled nursing facility. Yet the challenge for many new to intermediate-level clinicians is that documentation standards and coverage criteria frequently change, making resident care even more complicated. This course will examine the technical and clinical criteria for skilled nursing facility coverage and the core principles of documentation. Armed with a fundamental understanding of this information, clinicians will be able to meet documentation expectations.

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Patient-Centered Defensible Documentation

Presented by Maureen McCarthy, BS, RN, RAC-MT, QCP-MT, DNS-MT, RAC-MTA and Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

Patient-Centered Defensible Documentation

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Video Runtime: 41 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 25 Minutes

Recent revisions to the SNF requirements of participation (RoP) emphasize resident-centered care planning. But translating this concept into daily practice is still a challenge. This course will examine the concept of resident-centered care and how documentation is related to it. An introduction to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) will give clinicians a context in which they can apply new approaches. Strategies will be shared to help new and intermediate-level therapists and nurses demonstrate patient engagement within the documentation.

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Why Quantifiable Information Matters in Defensible Documentation

Presented by Maureen McCarthy, BS, RN, RAC-MT, QCP-MT, DNS-MT, RAC-MTA and Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

Why Quantifiable Information Matters in Defensible Documentation

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Video Runtime: 42 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 20 Minutes

The implementation of the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) presents a new landscape for SNF documentation requirements. Clinicians have a lot to learn about what is expected by payers and reviewers alike. Defensible documentation doesn't always mean more documentation. It means documenting more effectively. This course will discuss key components of documentation for the entry- and intermediate-level nurse and therapist, including key components of a comprehensive assessment, the importance of gathering objective information initially and throughout the episode of care, and the impact of the Minimum Data Set.

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Interprofessional Collaboration in Defensible Documentation

Presented by Maureen McCarthy, BS, RN, RAC-MT, QCP-MT, DNS-MT, RAC-MTA and Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

Interprofessional Collaboration in Defensible Documentation

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Video Runtime: 35 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 23 Minutes

Skilled nursing facilities are required to develop a care plan for each beneficiary and provide services in accordance with the care plan. Several studies and investigations have found that SNFs had deficiencies in doing just that, resulting in inadequate care to those residents. This course will describe the purpose for and principles of care planning. Entry-level and intermediate-level clinicians will be able to describe how care plans ensure the team is working in tandem toward the patient's goals. The course will provide examples of how incorporating resident-centered goals requires interprofessional collaboration and how successful interprofessional collaboration requires a shared, patient-centered vision.

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Functional Outcome Measures in IRF & SNF: How is CMS Measuring Them? (Recorded Webinar)

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

Functional Outcome Measures in IRF & SNF: How is CMS Measuring Them? (Recorded Webinar)

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This course is a recording of a previously hosted live webinar event. Polling and question submission features are not available for this recording. Format and structure may differ from standard MedBridge courses.

Since 2017, PTs and OTs in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities and Skilled Nursing Facilities have been required to collect data on functional status--data that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) use to publicly report on functional outcomes in these post-acute care settings. This data gives consumers and payers the ability to compare providers within and across settings, making the accurate collection and reporting of this data paramount. In this recorded webinar, you'll walk away with the knowledge needed to ensure your processes for collecting and interpreting this data are both reliable and accurate. You'll learn to better understand the method that CMS uses to calculate the measures, how to read and interpret the report's results, key competencies that can affect outcomes, as well as important processes to ensure accuracy of data.

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How Strong is Your Patient's Exercise Program? Part 1

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

How Strong is Your Patient's Exercise Program? Part 1

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Are you still using manual muscle testing as the only measure of muscle performance for your older adult patients? Are you still using endurance and number of minutes as the only measure of aerobic capacity for your older adult patients? This course will provide you with evidence-based strategies to strengthen your plan of care to address muscle performance and cardiovascular performance impairments in older adults. Emphasis will be placed on functional measures to guide both the design of, the progression of and the documentation of skilled therapeutic exercise programs and aerobic exercise programs for older adults.

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How Strong is Your Patient's Exercise Program? Part 2

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

How Strong is Your Patient's Exercise Program? Part 2

Subscribe now, and access clinical education and patient education—anytime, anywhere—with video instruction from recognized industry experts.

Are you still using manual muscle testing as the only measure of muscle performance for your older adult patients? Are you still using endurance and number of minutes as the only measure of aerobic capacity for your older adult patients? This course will provide you with evidence-based strategies to strengthen your plan of care to address muscle performance and cardiovascular performance impairments in older adults. Emphasis will be placed on functional measures to guide both the design of, the progression of and the documentation of skilled therapeutic exercise programs and aerobic exercise programs for older adults.

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Georgia Ethics and Jurisprudence (2024)

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

Georgia Ethics and Jurisprudence (2024)

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Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants have always faced numerous obligations to maintain compliance with federal and commercial healthcare programs. The array of requirements seems burdensome in comparison with other providers. But how well do we know our state's physical therapy rules? Therapists and therapist assistants who embrace a culture of knowing their practice act and code of ethics can create a culture where problems are prevented and risk is mitigated. This course will address the state of Georgia's Physical Therapy Practice Act and the rules and provisions that accompany it. The course will also include a discussion of ethics in the workplace.

All participants who complete this course will have their name, completion date, and license number reported to the Physical Therapy Association of Georgia for attendance purposes.

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Professionalism in Practice: Examining Common Ethical Challenges (2024)

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

Professionalism in Practice: Examining Common Ethical Challenges (2024)

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Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. To be ethical is not the same as following the law. The law often incorporates ethical standards to which most citizens subscribe. Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants face numerous situations every day where we are required to utilize ethical decision-making standards. Therapists and therapist assistants who embrace a culture of knowing their code of ethics can create a culture where risk is mitigated. This course will demonstrate the resources available to clinicians to utilize in the workplace. Tennessee PT/PTA see accreditation details for specific completion requirements for this course.

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Ethics in Practice: Resources for PTs and PTAs (2024)

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, ACEEAA, CHC, RAC-CT

Ethics in Practice: Resources for PTs and PTAs (2024)

Subscribe now, and access clinical education and patient education—anytime, anywhere—with video instruction from recognized industry experts.

Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. To be ethical is not the same as following the law. The law often incorporates ethical standards to which most citizens subscribe. Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants face numerous situations every day where we are required to utilize ethical decision-making standards. Therapists and therapist assistants who embrace a culture of knowing their code of ethics can create a culture where risk is mitigated. This course will demonstrate the resources available to clinicians to utilize in the workplace.

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Webinars with Ellen R. Strunk

View upcoming webinars View all free recordings

Mar 3, 2020

Functional Outcome Measures in IRF & SNF: How is CMS Measuring Them?

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk

View Free Recording

Nov 19, 2019

Life Under PDPM: What We've Learned So Far

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk

View Free Recording

Aug 26, 2019

The PDPM Final Countdown: What’s on Your Checklist?

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk

No Recording Available

May 23, 2019

The Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM): 131 Days to Implementation – Are You Ready?

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk

No Recording Available

Mar 28, 2019

The Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM): Strategies for Implementation & Keys to Success

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk

No Recording Available

Aug 2, 2018

The Proposed Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM): What Does It Mean for Skilled Nursing Facilities?

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk and Stacy Williams

No Recording Available

Dec 19, 2017

Preparing for Standardized Functional Outcomes in Home Health

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk

No Recording Available

Aug 29, 2016

Are You Ready for Section GG of the MDS?

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk

No Recording Available

Apr 12, 2016

CJR Initiative: It’s Here! Are You Ready?

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk

No Recording Available

Sep 28, 2015

Exercise Prescription for the Older Adult

Presented by Ellen R. Strunk

No Recording Available

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