In my final President's Perspective, I'd like to share some of my musings about the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy (ANPT) at a time when we are putting the finishing touches on a new strategic plan, which will guide us starting in 2023. In the past decade we have made some decisions, which I believe set us on a new path as an association. The first of these was our decision to change our name. Moving from a "section" to an "academy" was first initiated by the Geriatrics Section, and I'm not sure we had given the idea much consideration before that time. We jumped on the Academy bandwagon, not without consideration, but perhaps without fully realizing how it might shape our future work. One definition of academy is, "a society of distinguished scholars and artists or scientists that aims to promote and maintain standards in its particular field."1 We had a solid foundation for this move with a well-respected journal, members long recognized for their educational standards and methods, and a community boasting a growing number of recognized and funded researchers. The move from section to academy was a significant step in progressing further from a collection of members who had similar interests to a group of individuals working collectively to promote and maintain standards around neurologic physical therapy.
Another decision that changed who we are and what we are about was to participate in the development of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Within the APTA, the CPG work began in the Orthopedics section in response to payers who were looking for guidance in sorting through the variability in our care. So, without knowing much about the process, we identified a topic and started the work. We learned quickly that CPG development is quite a process, and our members are really good at process! At our current stage of maturity, we are grappling with what it means to be a CPG producing machine. What are the member and administrative resources that this work requires not for just one CPG, but for an entire collection of CPGs? A collection that can grow, that requires updating, that brings liability risk, and that opens the door for educating and influencing those who receive our care, other providers who care for our patients, and those who pay the bill for the care we provide.
A very important distinction between our approach to CPG development and that of other groups is our decision to also invest in the development of knowledge translation (KT) efforts. The ANPT has been the leader in taking the content of the CPGs to the next level by developing knowledge tools and resources for clinicians to actually "do the things" outlined in the guidelines. These resources extend to support for de-implementing (ie, not doing the things that are part of "should not" statements in the CPG). What an important part of the KT process-to stop doing things that are perhaps intuitive to us or linked to long-held beliefs, but do not deliver on our commitment to best evidence care.
The final decision I want to highlight was the decision to write a position paper. The board members who authored the position paper, "Moving Forward,"2 felt compelled to own our responsibility to our members and to society to promote standards in our field. The unstated consequence of taking a position is recognizing that when you do so, when you choose to stand and turn toward a set of ideas or principles, you are in fact, turning away from other ideas or principles. This important step in promoting standards for the field helps solidify our role as an Academy.
These 4 decisions, to become an Academy, to engage in development of CPGs, to translate the knowledge from the CPGs to practice resources, and to stand with a set of ideas and principles have changed us, and they have readied us for our next strategic plan. This next plan is centered around 4 goal areas: (1) quality resources to advance neurologic physical therapy through knowledge creation and translation, (2) expand and engage membership to create a connected and diverse community of neurologic physical therapy providers, (3) operational excellence to cultivate an organizational culture and infrastructure that strengthens efficiency, transparency, and sustainability, and (4) advocacy and awareness to expand the influence of neurologic physical therapy with stakeholders.
The following is a summary of the strategies for each of these goal areas:
* Quality resources
* Assimilation of entry-level competencies
* Strength conferences and events to reach a wider and more diverse audience
* Identify and select topics for high-impact evidence-based documents
* Collaborate with related sections/academies for further development of movement system examination and diagnosis
* Expand and engage membership
* Highlight benefits of membership to nonmembers and value of membership to members
* Increase member networking and engagement opportunities
* Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work throughout
* Operational excellence
* Complete a governance review
* Redesign the ANPT website
* Ensure the executive office resources are operating to best and highest levels
* Establish thorough and inclusive communication best practices
* Investigate the economics of free versus paid resources
* Advocacy and awareness
* Evaluate and expand patient-facing documents
* Advocate for the appropriate utilization of neurologic physical therapy to serve the comprehensive need of our patients
* Establish a meaningful partnership with patient advocacy groups
* Complete the Evidence Elevates national campaign extending to consumers, payers, and non-PT providers
The plan, the words on the page are really our best efforts in describing how we will achieve our new mission, "to elevate physical therapy to optimize movement and well-being for those at risk for or impacted by neurologic conditions" and vision of, "all people with neurologic conditions living their best lives." But, can we do it?
John Wesley was an English cleric and theologian who was the leader of a movement within the Church of England known as Methodism, so called because Wesley developed a method or process for, well, everything. He was an early knowledge translator, if you will. Written in 1761 to guide congregational singing, I have always drawn inspiration from Wesley's Directions for Singing3 as I believe the principles apply to a broader context. I hope that you too find inspiration for helping "all people with neurologic conditions [live] their best lives" in this adaptation:
Learn all you can. Engage heartily and with good courage. Beware of working as if you were half dead or half asleep. Do not put yourself forward to be heard above the rest but strive to unite your voices together. Keep up. And above all, work in a way that feeds the human soul, having an eye toward the vision. So then shall your work buoy your spirit and manifest your love for others.
-Patricia L. Scheets, PT, DPT, NCS, President
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