Please note that this article contains information that is only relevant to American clinics.

 

Physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy students who are enrolled in post-secondary educational institutions are always keen on obtaining real-life experience, with real-life patients. As such, many colleges offer students an opportunity to treat patients in the campus clinic. These clinics tend to offer a variety of services for a number of different insurance carriers, Medicare certainly not being the least of which. But this raises a question: can students treat Medicare patients? Let’s find out.

 

Students Providing Therapy to Medicare Part B Patients

 

During outpatient therapy (Medicare Part B), patients are allowed to participate in treatment, but there is a stipulation—a qualified practitioner, whether it be a therapist or a therapist assistant, must be present for the entire session. Additionally, the qualified practitioner needs to direct the service. During this time, they many not treat any other patients or engage in any other tasks.

 

Ultimately, the practitioner is the one who is responsible for ensuring that the patient receives proper care during Medicare Part B services. This means that they must sign all of the accompanying documentation since Medicare is technically paying for their services—not the student’s services.

 

Practice Perfect EMR and Educational Institutions

 

Practice Perfect is widely used throughout North America. In fact, many post-secondary institutions have gravitated towards the software because it enables students to practice all aspects of EMR use: appointment scheduling, clinical documentation, and billing. To find out more about how your educational institution can acquire Practice Perfect, schedule a demo today.

 

We hope you found this article helpful. For more content revolving around Medicare, check out the Gawenda Seminars and Consulting website and learn more about the benefits of becoming a Gold Member.

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