At our recent Annual Meeting in St Louis, MO, ASHT rolled out a new logo, and more importantly, a rebranding of ourselves as hand AND upper extremity specialists. I find our new logo to be colorful and very inspiring, as it depicts a person reaching upwards, with the entire upper quadrant detailed. To me, this represents our journey of ever moving forward. The recognition of ourselves as upper extremity specialists is long overdue, as hand therapists have treated elbow and shoulder problems for many years now.
Now more than ever, we need to band together as a community. ASHT is the leading voice for hand and upper extremity therapy professionals, from licensure and legislative concerns, to documentation, practice interventions and payment issues. Our members have access to the latest in science and research resources, from webinars and conferences, to the Journal of Hand Therapy and other publications, to online study groups and mentorships, to support professional growth. The e-Community, a part of the ASHT website, is a popular resource for colleague-to-colleague sharing on clinical pearls, practice management issues and resources on an informal basis. From the pursuit to become a CHT to maintenance of the specialization, ASHT is here to help its member community.
Excellent clinical care extends beyond patient care, and ASHT is here to advocate for you. ASHT unites our voices as one collective force for negotiating with Congress, regulatory agencies and insurance payers. The Legislative Action Center on the ASHT website helps increase awareness of current and pending legislation that could impact the delivery of your clinical care and makes it easy to reach out to your federal and state legislators on issues of concern. The website also offers valuable tips on billing, coding and other reimbursement issues as a part of the practice toolbox section.
ASHT empowers its members to become a positive force for the advancement of our chosen specialty of hand and upper extremity therapy. Come be a part of our community and join or renew your ASHT membership today. Be a part of our advocacy efforts and educational advancements. Ask a colleague to join with you! Membership is open to licensed PTs and OTs, therapy assistants, students and other health professionals involved in the care of patients with hand and upper extremity conditions. Expand your engagement and help ASHT reach even higher as a positive influence in the healthcare industry.