ED PT Practice: Practicing at Top of Scope
Presented by Rebekah Griffith
This course explores how physical therapists can practice at the top of their scope within the emergency department (ED) by leveraging clinical reasoning, communication, and decision-making strategies in high-pressure environments. With an emphasis on safety, efficiency, and interdisciplinary collaboration, participants will learn how to streamline workflows, make informed triage decisions, identify red flags, and clearly document skilled interventions. Real-world case scenarios, communication frameworks, and diagnostic tools are integrated to enhance clinical confidence and support defensible, value-driven care. This course is intended for PTs practicing or preparing to practice in the ED or other acute, fast-paced clinical settings.
Learning Objectives
- Apply documentation strategies that support defensible billing, safe care delivery, and team alignment in the emergency department
- Apply top-of-scope decision-making through case-based scenarios representing common ED presentations
- Distinguish effective communication approaches that promote clarity and collaboration across interdisciplinary ED teams
- Integrate clinical red flag frameworks into the evaluation process to identify patients requiring medical referral
This course is part of a six part series on Emergency Department PT practice:
Meet your instructor
Rebekah Griffith
Dr. Rebekah Griffith specializes in emergency department care. Dr. Griffith believes physical therapist practice in the emergency department is a critical way to move upstream in healthcare, supporting patients during their most critical moments. Dr. Griffith has been an invited lecturer, a regular presenter, a podcast guest,…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Owning the Zone: Practice Management
This chapter introduces core strategies for efficient ED workflow management, including triage, prioritization, and integration within the broader clinical team. Clinicians will learn how to assess both patient and departmental needs in real time, ensuring that care delivery aligns with clinical necessity and operational demands. Structured algorithms and internal protocols are emphasized to reduce variability and support top-of-scope decision-making.
2. Streamlining Communication, Documentation, and Billing
Effective interdisciplinary communication and accurate, defensible documentation are central to ED PT success. This chapter provides tools such as SBAR, MIST, and concise language strategies to improve clarity and collaboration with medical providers. Billing practices, outcome measures, and documentation techniques are also addressed to help therapists demonstrate value and support appropriate reimbursement.
3. Patient Management
Focusing on high-level clinical reasoning, this chapter walks through patient encounters from initial chart review to the plan of care. Participants will practice applying red flag frameworks, differential diagnosis strategies, and patient-centered communication approaches to common ED presentations. The goal is to support safe, efficient decision-making while maximizing therapeutic impact and aligning with patient goals and discharge planning.
More courses in this series
ED PT Practice: Foundations for Emergency Department Care
Rebekah Griffith
ED PT Practice: Demonstrating Value and Defining the Role of the ED PT
Rebekah Griffith
ED PT Practice: Addressing Barriers and Operational Challenges
Rebekah Griffith
ED PT Practice: Building Your ED PT Practice
Rebekah Griffith
ED PT Practice: Launching Your ED PT Practice
Rebekah Griffith
ED PT Practice: Practicing at Top of Scope
Rebekah Griffith
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