TNG Task Forces
Clinicians & Industry Collaborative Task Force
Communications Task Force
LaunchPad Task Force
Programming Task Force
Pandemic Task Force
NEWLY FORMED:
Clinicians & Industry Collaborative Task Force
The Technology Networking Group is pleased to announce the launch of the Clinicians and Industry Collaborative Task Force, a merger of the TNG’s original 2 task forces: Industry Outreach and Clinician Managers in Rehabilitation Technology Task Forces. The merger combines the energy and expertise of these two dynamic groups to advance important work currently underway and to bring together stakeholders with multiple overlapping interests.
The new Clinicians and Industry Collaborative Task Force aims to provide a space within ACRM for dialogue and collaboration among clinicians, researchers, engineers, product developers and rehabilitation technology companies and other industry partners to advance the field of rehabilitation technology. Through this collaboration we will gather, disseminate and share best practices as they relate to the intersection of the private industry, clinical practice, use of rehabilitation technology, technology development and validation, and regulatory compliance.
2019-2020 Accomplishments
Completed as part of the former Clinical Managers in Rehabilitation Technology and Industry Outreach Task Forces
- Helped create and launch the ACRM Pandemic Webinar Series (25 webinars)
- Helped recruit judges for LaunchPad 2020
- Completed two symposia at 2019 conference
- Growth of Task Force membership by over 200%!!
2020-2021 Plans/Goals
- Develop Advanced Technology Certificate program for clinicians
- Create “best practices” guide for vendor fairs in remote conferences
- Support ACRM programming with intention of connecting industry members with ACRM members and persons served (Symposia, Tech Talks, or Speed Networking)
- Develop virtual speed networking events to connect clinicians and industry (and other stakeholders)
- Map 2-year plan to engage membership, create programs to connect industry members with other ACRM members, and identify ways to engage new industry members (rehab tech, consumer tech, etc)
Communications Task Force
Do you want to contribute to this Newsletter?
Do you have a comment on this Newsletter? Please submit comments, questions, or suggestions to Cullyn Foxlee, Co-Chair of the Communications Task Force.
Tech Talks
The Technology Networking Group had the first Tech Talk in February by Rachel Proffitt, OTD, OTR/L. The title was Harnessing Technology for Precision Rehabilitation. In this Tech Talk, Dr. Proffitt discussed precision medicine as it relates to behavioral rehabilitation assessment and intervention; how technology can be used in a variety of settings to capture precise relevant outcomes for rehabilitation; approaches or technologies that can be used in clinical practice setting or research. The recording of the Tech Talk by Dr. Proffitt can be found in the ACRM Library as well as the TNG Tech Talk Webpage.
Tammy Richmond, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA presented the May webinar titled, Telehealth COVID 19 & Beyond: Policy Updates, Resources, Tools and Case Uses. This Tech Talk discussed COVID 19 temporary and permanent Telehealth federal and state policies; technology, administrative and clinical resources for telehealth sustainability; and telehealth/telerehab future as a Hybrid model of care. Find this recorded webinar in the ACRM Library as well as the TNG Tech Talk Webpage.
Follow us on social media to learn about upcoming Tech Talks!
Twitter: @ACRMTechGroup
Facebook: @ACRMTechGroup
LaunchPad Task Force
The primary responsibility of the LaunchPad Task Force is the planning and execution of the LaunchPad Competition. This includes recruiting applications from start-up companies and research labs, identifying reviewers and judges for the competition and communicating with the TNG Executive Committee, ACRM staff members, applicants, reviewers and judges. See the article about this year’s competition in this issue!
The TF also works in conjunction with the other TNG TFs (particularly the Industry Outreach and Clinical Managers TFs) to support initiatives related to integrating our industry members into ACRM activities and building collaborations between our industry members and clinical/research/end user members.
Members can join the LaunchPad TF and assist in identifying start-up companies and research labs with innovative technology or ideas to submit applications for the annual competition. Assistance in identifying potential reviewers or judges is also welcome. Members can also contact Megan Mitchell if they are interested in joining a database to serve as a reviewer or judge as necessary.
Programming Task Force
The Programming Task Force is seeking a TNG member interested in joining this task force as a Co-Chair. In addition to leading the activities described below, TNG Programming Task Force Co-Chairs serve as TNG representatives on the ACRM Programming Committee, and either participate directly in ACRM programming meetings and complete submission reviews for the annual conference or appoint a task force member to represent in their place.
Please email Programming Task Force Co-Chair, Mohan Thirumalai and TNG Co-Chairs Tracey Wallace and Rachel Proffitt to express interest in becoming a Programming Task Force Co-Chair.
The Programming Task Force is dedicated to providing the membership with quality programming content related to the state-of-the art in the field of rehabilitation technology at the ACRM Annual Conference and Spring Meeting. The Programming Task Force assists in recruiting content from the top rehabilitation professionals in the field and within ACRM.
Programming Task force members also:
- Recruit, review and recommend speakers for the ACRM Annual Conference and Spring Meeting, including for plenary sessions, special symposia, and other conference presentations
- Serve as liaison for speakers recruited by the TNG, providing information and assistance to support speakers
- Recruit Technology Poster Awards Committee judges, including committee chair
- Assist programmingefforts led by other TNG Task Forces (e.g., recruitment of contestants, reviewers and judges for LaunchPad)
- Recruit reviewers for technology content submissions for the annual conference
2019-2020 Accomplishments
- 1 Plenary talk, 2 Special Symposia, 2 Instructional Courses, 14 Symposia
- Dozens of posters and 2 poster awards for rehab technology
2020-2021 Projects/Goals
- Recruit, review and recommend content/speakers for ACRM 2021
- Develop or recommend thematic mini-tracks on specific topics
- Speaker incentives – Identify speakers new to ACRM (since 5 years prior)
- Support Poster Awards Committee
- Support TNG task forces in programming related initiatives
- Support larger ACRM programming needs as directed by the ACRM Program Committee
Congratulations to the 2020 TNG Poster Award Recipients
Each year, at the ACRM Annual Conference, the TNG Poster Award Committee selects two poster award winners. The 2020 TNG Poster Award Winners were:
Best Overall Poster in Technology
Improving patient safety in the rehab setting with efficient patient monitoring techniques and other interventions
Sumier Overcash, MSN, RN, CRRN
Best Early Career in Technology
Wearable-based Spasticity Prediction and Validation Using Machine Learning
Shou-Jen Wang
A special thank you to the TNG Poster Award Committee: Ghaith J. Androwis (Chair), Sheng Li, Marko Popovic and Guang Yue.
Pandemic Task Force
The mission of the TNG Pandemic Task Force is to provide ACRM members and rehabilitation medicine stakeholders, accurate and up-to-date information about the use of technology in the provision of rehabilitation services and research during the 2020 global pandemic.
This task force formed nearly a year ago during the early weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States in order to quickly communicate essential information needed by PM&R healthcare providers and researchers.
With the support of ACRM staff and leadership, as well as collaboration with other ACRM community groups and stakeholders, the Pandemic Task Force produced 25 webinars as part of the ACRM Pandemic Webinar Series in 2020. Topics ranged from telehealth billing and remote patient monitoring, to conducting rehabilitation research and providing care in countries and regions across the world during the pandemic. Recordings of the webinars can be viewed for free by going to the ACRM Library and clicking on “Pandemic Webinar Series.”
The Pandemic Task Force is evolving its focus to become a broader task force dedicated to telehealth/telerehab with the goal of making meaningful contributions after the pandemic is gone. The task force will provide an opportunity for ACRM and TNG members interested in telehealth to connect and collaborate to accomplish task force goals. This may include activities related to telehealth training and education, best practices, and policy and reimbursement. Stay tuned for more information as we announce new task force leaders and provide opportunities for members to join this task force!
