May 2020
PT Alberta
COVID-19 Pandemic
May Leadership Message from Council President Karin Eldred
In the last few weeks we have experienced unprecedented change in the way we work and live. We have learned new terminology and mastered new technology. We've learned how to read logarithmic graphs and how to don, doff, and wash personal protective equipment. It’s been overwhelming and exhausting. We’ve been longing for a return to “normal” life.

Guidance for Physiotherapists: Discontinuation of Community-Level Pandemic Response Measures
On April 30th, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Hinshaw indicated that changes to CMOH Order-07 are pending as part of the Government of Alberta’s plan to re-open the economy. Order-07 is the order which established that physiotherapists were only able to provide urgent, in-person services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The specific changes were not provided by Dr. Hinshaw. However, Premier Kenney indicated that regulated health professionals would be allowed to re-open provided they comply with the directions of their regulatory College.

Update as Physiotherapy Businesses Re-open
When Premier Kenney and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hinshaw (CMOH) announced on April 30th that Phase 1 of the Alberta strategy to re-open the economy would begin on May 14th, but that some health professions would be able to re-open as early as May 4th if their regulatory Colleges had guidance in place for registrants, and provided health professionals complied with that guidance, Physiotherapy Alberta was well positioned. With draft guidance in hand, we were able to review the CMOH orders and re-opening plans, and provide direction to registrants on May 1, enabling physiotherapists to resume services as early as May 4th.

Research in Focus: Burnout Among Alberta Physiotherapists

The Research in Focus article series is usually a forum to share summaries of recently published evidence relevant to Alberta physiotherapists. However, with the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and the burden the pandemic has placed on all health-care professionals, it seems timely to highlight the findings of Physiotherapy Alberta’s own 2016 research into burnout among our registrants.

College Conversations Podcast: COVID-19

Physiotherapy Alberta has been promoting telerehabilitation since 2017; however, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, its use in physiotherapy practice has increased dramatically. While many people envision videoconferencing when they consider this format of service delivery, telerehabilitation or digital practice includes the remote delivery of physiotherapy using all forms of electronic communication technology. This can include text or email, video- or teleconferencing, and even robotics and virtual reality.

Personal Protective Equipment

To support Alberta’s effort to meet critical personal protective equipment needs during the COVID-19 response, the Government of Alberta is managing all requests for PPE.

Visit Physiotherapy Alberta's website for up-to-date announcements and information.
2020 Council Election: Results
The results of the 2020 Council Election have been tallied. Congratulations to William Tung and Grant Fedoruk, our two elected Council Members-at-Large. They will both start their terms in June.
Nominate a colleague or student for a 2020 Physiotherapy Alberta Award!
May is Physiotherapy Month and the perfect opportunity to celebrate the profession by nominating an outstanding physiotherapist for an award!

Do you have a colleague who strives to improve quality of care and/or service delivery?

Do you know of a physiotherapist who shows excellence in practice and/or promotion of the profession?

Is there a physiotherapist student you know who demonstrates leadership?

The nomination deadline is midnight July 20, 2020.

Clinical Research Innovation Fund 2020

Have you thought of a research topic that interests you but you are not sure where to even start? Please review the Clinical Research Innovation Fund guidelines and consider developing a proposal. The CRIF is available to support clinically-relevant research by clinicians in the physiotherapy community.

National Physiotherapy Month
May is National Physiotherapy Month and though it may not be possible to celebrate and showcase the profession as you have in previous years, there are still some ways to acknowledge Physiotherapy Month.
  • Nominate an outstanding physiotherapist or physiotherapy student for an award.
  • Check out the “Healing Series” from the Canadian Physiotherapy Association.
  • With shifting priorities and physical/social distancing it may not be possible to host a lunch and learn or set up a physiotherapy display, but know that the online store has a number of items available to members at no extra cost all year long.
Improving the Identification of ACL Tears in Primary Care

Date: May 21, 2020
Time: 12:00 p.m.

ACL injury is associated with early onset of osteoarthritis, a risk factor for premature death. It is estimated that only 15% of ACL injuries are identified on initial assessment, resulting in unnecessary treatment delays. Early, accurate identification of ACL injury is therefore a clinical priority.

This presentation will highlight current evidence regarding indicators to accurately identify ACL injury.

Presenter: Dr. Jackie Whittaker, PT, PhD
Reconceptualizing the Management of Rotator Cuff Injuries: Physiotherapy as Plan “A” to “Z”
Date: June 18, 2020
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Physiotherapy Alberta | 780.438.0338 | info@physiotherapyalberta.ca | www.physiotherapyalberta.ca