Physical Therapist (PT)- Outpatient

Advocate Health • Gurnee, IL

1d • $41 - $62

About The Position

The Physical Therapist works in an outpatient setting, interpreting physician referrals and conducting appropriate evaluations of musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and/or integumentary conditions. The therapist develops and implements individualized plans of care, monitors patient outcomes, adjusts treatment as needed, and communicates patient status with physicians and other team members.

The role includes planning patient discharge, providing home programs and patient or family education, coordinating referrals and transitions of care, and ordering equipment when appropriate. The therapist documents care in accordance with department policies and accreditation standards, manages billing and scheduling responsibilities, applies insurance authorization guidelines, and meets established productivity standards.

The Physical Therapist maintains a safe, orderly treatment area and uses available modalities, exercise equipment, and other devices appropriately. The role participates in quality-improvement activities, manages an assigned caseload, and supports coverage needs. It also includes ongoing professional development and, as applicable, orienting staff, providing coworker feedback, and supervising physical therapy assistants, extenders, or students in accordance with applicable requirements.

This position requires the physical ability to sit, stand, walk, lift, squat, push, pull, carry, and perform patient transfers throughout the workday. The therapist may be exposed to electrical and chemical hazards, blood and body fluids, and—if travel is required—road and weather hazards. Protective clothing must be worn as needed.

Requirements

• Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from an accredited school, or educational requirements commensurate with the date of graduation.
• Maintain continuing education requirements mandated by applicable state professional standards.
• Physical Therapist license in the state where the employee works.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification from the American Heart Association, obtained within 90 days unless the department leader determines it is not required.
• No prior work experience required.
• Intermediate computer skills.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated organization, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Successfully complete competency assessments and requirements related to patient care and site standards.
• Maintain annual educational requirements for applicable hospital-based certifications.
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills to provide age-appropriate care and understand growth and development across the lifespan.
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, lift, and squat throughout the workday; lift up to 50 pounds from floor to waist and up to 10 pounds from waist to overhead; carry up to 40 pounds at waist height a reasonable distance; push or pull with 30 pounds of force; and perform a sliding transfer of 150 pounds with a second person present.
• Ability to perform the specified repetitive hand activities, including simple grasping, pushing and pulling, and fine hand manipulation during massage and joint mobilization.
• Functional use of senses to communicate effectively and ability to wear protective clothing as needed.
• Ability to operate all equipment necessary to perform the job.

Responsibilities

• Interpret physician referrals and complete appropriate patient evaluations.
• Establish and implement individualized treatment plans based on evaluation results and functional goals; monitor outcomes and adjust care as needed.
• Communicate patient status and collaborate with physicians, teammates, and other appropriate stakeholders.
• Identify and address factors affecting patients’ physical and psychosocial comfort.
• Plan and complete patient discharges, including home programs, patient and family education, community-service referrals, transition planning, and equipment orders when appropriate.
• Complete required clinical documentation, including evaluations, progress notes, team conference reports, and discharge summaries, and record patient care and progress.
• Complete daily statistics, billing, and scheduling; apply insurance authorization and visit guidelines; and follow billing and documentation policies and timelines.
• Maintain department productivity standards and manage the assigned caseload, communicating coverage needs and assisting with coverage as needed.
• Clean and organize the treatment area, put equipment away, and use appropriate techniques for manual treatment, positioning, transfers, and transportation.
• Use available modalities, exercise equipment, and other devices appropriately, and follow safety and infection-control measures.
• Participate in performance-improvement activities to address problems affecting patient outcomes and care quality.
• Pursue professional growth through continuing education, department in-services, and professional literature.
• Orient new staff and provide coworker feedback when requested.
• May supervise physical therapy assistants, physical therapy extenders, and physical therapy students, including delegating or directing care while maintaining responsibility for patient plans and goals.

Benefits

• $5,000 sign-on bonus for a full-time hire.
• Paid Time Off programs.
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability benefits.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses.
• Adoption assistance and paid parental leave.
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs.
• Educational Assistance Program.
• Competitive compensation, premium pay for applicable shifts or on-call work, incentive pay for select positions, and potential annual performance-based increases.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree