Register today for the RECORDED 2023 APTA MO VIRTUAL FALL CONFERENCE! 
The Zoom was held on October 21^st from 8 AM – Noon and RECORDED.  Links to the recorded sessions will be shared.

• Up to 4 Contact Hours of CE may be earned
• Registration is only $75 for APTA MO members
• Non-members may register for only $200
  

APTA MO VIRTUAL FALL CONFERENCE AGENDA

8:00 – 10:00 AM

Course Title: Direct Access: Implementation, Issues, Strategies, and Success – A panel discussion on Direct Access since the law became effective on August 28^th.

Description: Even if you participated in the 4-part CE series “Town Halls on Direct Access” designed to help PT professionals prepare for the new direct access law to go into effect on August 28th, there are always things that come up unexpectedly.  This panel discussion will allow our experts to address questions and issues that have come to our attention after the law went into effect.  It will also allow attendees to share their experiences and best practices. 

After taking this course, participants will

• Better understand and utilize the new direct access law  
  Course Level: Various
  

Chris Marsh, PT, serves as Federal Government Affairs Liaison for APTA MO.  A 1982 graduate of the University of MO - Columbia, he has been a member of APTA for over 42 years.  He has served as APTA MO President, Vice-President, Nominating Committee Chair, and Southeast District Chair. He has practiced in a variety of settings including private practice, hospital-based PT, home health PT, and sports medicine. He is currently the Rehab Manager for St. Louis Home Health.

Jennifer Schnieders, DPT, received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise, Master of Physical Therapy, and Doctor of Physical Therapy from Saint Louis University. She owns Outbound Physical Therapy & Rehab in Jefferson City, MO.  Jennifer has been a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and Missouri Physical Therapy Association for over 20 years.  She has served as APTA MO President, President Elect, Central District Chair and Reimbursement Chair.  She is also an active member of the APTA Private Practice Section.

Craig Lee, DPT, is a franchise owner of iMove Physical Therapy.  He received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Kansas in 1993 and he received his DPT from Shenandoah University in 2017.  Craig Lee currently serves as a Director on the APTA MO Board of Directors.  Craig resides in Blue Springs, Missouri.

Austin Williams, DPT, serves as MPTA MO Chair for the NW District. He and his wife own Ortho Coach Physical Therapy & Sports Performance an outpatient orthopedic private practice based in Lee’s Summit.  He is also an instructor at Missouri Western State University PTA Program for their orthopedic curriculum.

Ben Modde, DPT, SSM Select, St. Louis

Michael Gorman, PT, iMOVE Physical Therapy

10:00 AM – Noon

Course Title: Early Identification and Diagnosis of Spondyloarthritis 

Description: Axial Spondyloarthritis is an often-overlooked cause of chronic back pain. This course raises awareness and educates non-rheumatologists about clinical features that may suggest the presence of axial Spondyloarthritis. The goal of this program is to shorten the diagnostic delay, which is currently 5-8 years on average, by increasing awareness and knowledge of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) among non-rheumatology healthcare professionals who are caring for patients with chronic back pain to promote the timely referral of patients. The ultimate goal is to improve long-term outcomes in axSpA by reducing the time from symptom onset to diagnosis and to provide patients with the benefits of early effective therapy. 

Course Objectives:

After taking this course participants will

1. Develop an awareness of axSpA as treatable cause of back pain,
2. Recognize an inflammatory back pain pattern as a typical presentation of axSpA,
3. Identify other common clinical features of axSpA that occur outside the spine,
4. Gain knowledge of basic principles of diagnosis and treatment of axSpA as applied by rheumatologists. 

Speaker bio:

Angelo Papachristos graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelors in Science (BSc.) in 1994 and Physiotherapy degree (BSc.PT) in 1998.

He completed his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in 2007 from Schulich School of Business. He completed the ACPAC (Advance Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care) program in 2006.

Papachristos is currently working as an Advance Practice Physiotherapist (APP) practicing at Unity Health-St. Michaels Hospital, Toronto, Ontario in the following areas:  Rheumatology, Hip and knee Joint Assessment Centre, Sports [multiligament reconstruction] and orthopaedic trauma.  His rheumatology focus is in Early Inflammatory Arthritis (ERA), Spondyloarthritis and non-operative osteoarthritis program.  He is also involved in the Women’s Health and Pregnancy and Rheumatic Disease Initiative.

Papachristos is a Clinical Lecturer at the University of Toronto, department of Rehabilitation Medicine.  He is involved in extensive teaching and training in the post-graduate rehab, nursing and medical programs in the areas of arthritis management and inflammatory arthritis. He has presented nationally and internationally in the areas of Spondyloarthropathy to allied health and medical professionals as well as numerous patient organizations.  He is an independent Medico-legal consultant with focus on complex trauma, traumatic brain injury and medical/rehabilitation-malpractice. 

Disclosures:
Angelo Papachristos has consulted and/or provided speaking/lectured for: Merck, Pfizer, Janssen, Abbott/Abbvie, UCB Canada and Hoffman-la Roche.

Course Level: Various