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Home Study Course

The home study course is comprised of 6 DVD's which contain video from a live seminar that Keith Blankenship did several years ago. It covers all important components of completing a Blankenship FCE and prepares the clinician to take the certification test. The home study course allows the clinician to complete the required pre-certification training at their own pace.

Live Seminar

The live seminar is a 3 day long course taught by a Blankenship FCE Instructor. It allows for constant interaction and hands on learning with the Blankenship FCE System Software and Equipment. The live seminar provides the same information contained in the Home Study Course, but with the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the FCE System software and equipment. The live seminars are offered at various locations around the United States. If you are interested in sponsoring a seminar, please use the contact form on the website.

Permanent Partial Impairment Rating

This home study course reviews the 5th and 6th Edition Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment in an effort to help PT/OT clinicians understand the philosophy, standards, requirements, and rules for assisting a physician in completing a compliant report. It discusses in detail the Chapters for Spine, Lower Extremity, Upper Extremity, and Pain-Related Impairments. Case specific examples are reviewed and a word document template is provided for each Chapter which provides a skeleton identifying all pertinent areas to assess for possible inclusion in a report and the rules for excluding data from the report. It includes a narrated slide show covering the information and digital files of the word document templates for both the 5th and 6th Editions. It is important to note that this course is not affiliated with or endorsed by the American Medical Association and completion of this course does not imply that a PT/OT can independently provide an Impairment Rating.  This course is based on information from the 5th and 6th Edition Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, Guides Newsletter, and Medical-Legal Companion to the AMA Guides.  Approved for 8 CEU hours by the Kentucky Physical Therapy Association.  The main benefit this course provides over other similar courses is that you will get a detailed word document for each specific Chapter (Spine, Upper Extremity, Lower Extremity) which provides an outline to work through to ensure that you are evaluating each section possible for consideration for an impairment. It will help prompt you as you start out, ensuring you don't miss any sections. It also identifies all areas considered to who ever may be reviewing the report to eliminate confusion and helps identify where your rating has differed from other ratings the patient may have. Being as specific as possible in the report decreases the need for multiple ratings and makes it much easier to defend. 

Post-Offer Screening

This home study course reviews important information that every FCE Evaluator should know when preforming FCEs in a post-offer environment. It also includes important information for FCE Evaluators who are performing return to work FCEs. It specifically addresses the ADAAA and the rules for providing examinations that do not conflict with the Act. Ten  court cases are reviewed which address common areas of conflict. The course outlines how to avoid conflict and provide a compliant functional test.   It addresses content such as substantially limits, major life activities, employment status under the ADAAA, Disability Related Inquiries, Medical Examinations, Essential vs Marginal Job Functions, types of validity to base a screen on, the Direct Threat Defense, the Hardship Defense,  Reasonable Accommodation and many others.  Approved for 8 CEU hours by the Kentucky Physical Therapy Association. It is important to note that this is not legal advice and simply a review of previous cases from an FCE perspective. 

FCE Mentorship

Home Study Courses and Live Seminars are great ways to learn about the Blankenship FCE System. However, real world patients and situations are complicated and ever changing. The FCE Mentorship provides the ability to share and discuss how an FCE was done and reflect on possible omissions or areas to change/improve upon with a Blankenship FCE Instructor on a monthly basis. You chose one FCE per month to send to a Blankenship FCE System Instructor. The Instructor will review the FCE and communicate feedback in an effort to grow your understanding of the Blankenship System FCE process. It allows for you to ask direct questions and get direct feedback on an ongoing basis until you feel comfortable with the process. 

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