ALS/MND Clinical Research Physical Therapist

Mass General Brigham•Boston, MA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the general supervision of the Associate Director of Care Innovation/Physical Therapist, the ALS/MND Clinical Research Physical Therapist is responsible for clinical care of patients with ALS, SMA, and other neuromuscular diseases, as well as actively participating in ALS and other neuromuscular clinical research, within the scope of their license in Massachusetts. The ALS/MND Clinical Research Physical Therapist is familiar with Motor Neuron Diseases and Clinical Research within this population and is a member of the outpatient multidisciplinary clinical care and clinical research teams at the Sean Healey and AMG ALS Center ALS Clinic, MGH Adult SMA clinic, and the Neurological Clinical Research Institute.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Physical Therapy required or Master's Degree in Physical Therapy preferred, or Doctorate in Physical Therapy preferred
Physical Therapist [State License]
Experience working as a physical therapist in a hospital, rehab, or Ambulatory setting, 1-2 years required
Knowledge of medical terminology.
Excellent organizational skills.
Familiarity with Electronic Medical Record systems.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Teaching others how to do something.
Excellent problem-solving, case management, and communication skills.
Knowledge of related accreditation and certification requirements.

Responsibilities

Provide competent, compassionate physical therapy care based on scientific principles, physical therapy knowledge/education, and clinical judgement
Provide Physical Therapy assessment, consultation, recommendations, care coordination, PT treatment, and education to patients with ALS and other neuromuscular/neurological diseases, and their families/caregivers
Identify, facilitate, and evaluate the outcomes of physical therapy care for individual patients or groups of patients.
Coordinate involvement of the patient, family/caregivers, and health team members in patient care, including patient/family education, and provide and recommend resources (verbal, demonstrative, written, community) for patients and their families
Order, in collaboration with MDs/APPs, appropriate equipment and services for patients.
Provide patient follow-up (including phone calls, email, and paperwork) between in-person clinical visits, including communication with patients, caregivers, and internal/external healthcare providers (PT, OT, as well as MD/NP/RN), including community outreach to outside organizations
Participate in Virtual Visits with providers (MD/NP) as needed
Document relevant patient information
May require occasional visits to patient homes for clinical care or travel to clinical meetings
Appropriately utilize physical therapy and other clinical resources to provide care
Train and mentor other clinical staff, including PTs, as appropriate
Participation in, and coordination of, clinical and department projects as appropriate, With the Associate Director of Care Innovation, actively identify needs/issues/projects and coordinate projects and plans, asking for direction as needed
Perform outcome measures as outlined in the protocol. This may include any appropriate outcome measure, including but not limited to strength and other physical testing, Vital Capacity Testing, ALS Functional Rating Scale Questionnaire, Interview Questionnaires, gait and balance measures, and other tests and measures appropriate to the role
Act as primary outcomes trainer for NCRI and MND clinic staff for outcomes measures for clinical trials and for the ALS clinic, and monitor the overall outcome process
Act as a resource for study staff regarding outcomes and other appropriate study visit and study-related questions per GCP training, PT clinical knowledge, and outcomes measures expertise
Coordinate and implement research studies according to the study protocols
Collaborate with PIs and study teams on new studies to ensure timely start-up, and be available to assist the study team with the coordination of services needed to implement the study, as well as be available to assess study progress and problem-solve as needed
Assess patient participation on a continuous basis in light of ethical considerations. Act as a liaison between the patient/participant and other members of the team regarding patient care activities related to the protocol.
Work with physicians, nurses, research coordinators, and patients in the selection of and participation by appropriate patients/participants
Develop, implement, and support systems to promote efficiency, productivity, and operating systems to economize resources
Facilitate integration of regulatory guidelines to ensure safe practice
Collaborate with the study team in the development of new research studies, including the use of outcome measures and data form development, as well as participate in PT or rehab-based studies
Present study findings to interested groups both inside and outside of the hospital, including but not limited to presentations, posters, and collaboration on papers
May require travel to research study meetings and/or research study participants’ homes for study visits. May also be involved in protocol development and implementation, data compilation and analysis, and presentation/publication of data. May be involved in obtaining study approvals and informed consent; screening and enrolling patients into the studies as appropriate. With assistance from research coordinators, may be responsible for IRB submissions for protocols