Mindy Renfro
Balance and Falls SIG chair
Education:
Fall of 2009-current:
Graduate student in the Individualized Interdisciplinary Program
Public Health Policy/Gerontology/Physical Therapy
All but dissertation Nov 2010; Defense March 2011
Graduate student in transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
All but final project Dec 2010; Graduation May 2011
University of Montana
Missoula, Montana
2010, CPH, Certificate in Public Health
School of Public & Community Health Sciences
University of Montana
2005, GCS, American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties
Board Certified Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy
No. 9247
1984, MS, Allied Health Education/ Neurosciences
University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
1977, BS, Physical Therapy
University of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Certifications:
GCS
Current Practice:
Asst Prof in Physical Therapy Neuro management and rehab
Employment:
2010- Current, Touro University ñ Nevada, Henderson, NV
Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy:
Neurotherapeutics & Geriatrics teaching in DPT entry-level program
Performing research in fall risk assessment and prevention for older adults
Creating NV chapter of NCOAís Falls Free Coalition
2009 - 2010, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
Teaching Assistant/ Department of Physical Therapy
Teaching in DPT entry-level program
Clinic Physical Therapist/ New Directions Clinic at UM
Created MT chapter of NCOAís Falls Free Coalition
2007 - 2009, Park Place Health Care Center, Great Falls, MT
Geriatric Physical Therapy Specialist/ Staff Physical Therapist
Provides excellent patient care to in-patients/ out-patients and home health patients
Works with interdisciplinary rehab team and coordinates with nursing & social work
Sensitive to psycho-social issues involving patients, family and co-workers
Maintains thorough documentation and billing to support reimbursement
Design & provide wellness programs at local retirement community
2006 - 2007, Elder Care Associates of Billings, Billings, MT
Owner/ Geriatric & Adult Physical Therapist
Owner/ sole-proprietor private physical therapy practice
Provided palliative and wellness care to elders as out-patients but seen at home
Clinical instructor for PT students
Community educator with greatest emphasis in fall prevention and balance
Contract work with Rocky Mountain home health agency
Per diem work with two Lantis owned long term care facilities
2002 - 2006, St. Johnís Lutheran Ministries, Billings, MT
Geriatric Physical Therapy Specialist
Provided excellent skilled PT across five levels of care for elders on St. Johnís campus
Designed clinical education program and served as CCCE for 3 university programs
Grant writer for both state and national level grants
Served on wellness committee charged with design of wellness center on retirement campus; completed 2008
Assisted supervisor with special projects
Contract physical therapy services provided for Indian Health Services at Crow Nation
Completed Geriatric Physical Therapy Specialist study and exam through FSBPTE
2001 - 2002, Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital, Westborough, MA
Director, Out-Patient Services
Managed large interdisciplinary out-patient rehabilitation service in acute rehab hospital
Developed and opened therapeutic aquatics program
Recruited, hired and managed staff of over 20 professionals and 8 support staff
Developed and opened workers comp program including work conditioning and hardening
Active community health promotion including aquatic classes for arthritics, pregnant women and individuals with spinal cord injury
1995 - 2000, Millis Physical Therapy Associates, Millis, MA
Owner, Private Physical Therapy Practice
Provided excellent out-patient physical therapy in office/clinic setting
Developed and maintained a competitive referral base
Recruited, hired and managed staff
Developed and opened workers comp program including work conditioning and hardening
Active community health promotion including public speaking engagements and health fairs
Consulting physical therapist and educator for Price Rehabilitation Center for severely disabled adults
1994 - 1996, Boston University, Sargent College, Boston, MA
Clinical Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy
Designed and taught new course for Spine Care in the musculoskeletal track
Student advising and recruitment of minorities
Provided out-patient physical therapy in faculty clinic
Lab instructor for neurorehabilitation course
Consultant & educator for OíGrady-Peyton International based in Manila, Philippines
Spine course lab instructors included DC, DO and manual PTís
1992 - 1994, United Back Care, Bellevue, WA
Staff Physical Therapist for Chronic Pain & Work Programs
Provide primarily hands-off physical therapy for chronic pain and work program clients
Coordinate care with workers compensation system and multidisciplinary team
Update and restart aquatics physical therapy program
Support clients in return-to-work programs in the clinic and on-site
Advanced training in ergonomics and design of work sites
1989 - 1992, Overlake Hospital, Bellevue, WA
Senior Physical Therapist and Clinical Education Coordinator
Provided excellent out-patient physical therapy in clinic setting
Developed and planned continuing education for multidisciplinary staff
Assisted with development and implementation of employee wellness program
1984 - 1989, Mystic Physical Therapy Associates, PC, Mystic, CT
Owner, Private Physical Therapy Practice
Provided excellent out-patient physical therapy in office/clinic setting
Developed and maintained a competitive referral base
Recruited, hired and managed staff of up to 5 therapists and 6 support staff in 2 offices
Developed and opened workers comp program with Electric Boat Shipyard
Active community health promotion including public speaking engagements
Contract work with home health agency and two school systems
1981 - 1984, US Naval Submarine Base, Groton, CT
Civilian Staff Physical Therapist
Provided excellent out-patient & in-patient physical therapy in clinic setting and hospital
Managed all aspects of administration including 5-year budget projections
Managed primarily active duty staff
Designed exercise areas for Trident-class nuclear submarine
1978 - 1980, University of Rochester ñ School of Medicine, Rochester, NY
Clinical evaluator and Project Physical Therapist
Primary clinical evaluator in multi-center therapeutic trial for Duchennesí Muscular Dystrophy
Attended quarterly training to assure intra- and inter-rater reliability and validity of all clinical evaluators and investigators
Provided excellent out-patient care for children with DMD
Consultation and education for school-based PTís working with children with DMD
Gathered and reported objective physical measures to document the natural history of DMD both before and after initiation of double-blind therapeutic trial
Consulting physical therapist to ALS, MS, PD neurology out-patient clinics
Worked with Jerry Lewisí MDA fund-raising & public awareness effort
1977 - 1978, United Cerebral Palsy Assn of New York, Rochester, NY
School-based pediatric physical therapist
Provided excellent out-patient physical therapy in school-based PT clinic
Developed and updated Individual Educational Plans for each child served
Assisted with development and implementation of clinical education program for PT students from 3 PT schools
Presented at NY chapter of the APTA annual meeting
Professional Contributions:
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS:
Published under Mindy Oxman Wentzell, Mindy Oxman Turner, Mindy Oxman, Mindy Oxman Renfro
Accepted for publication by J Geriatr PT Jan 2011: Multifactorial Screening for Fall Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in the Primary Care Office:Development of the Fall Risk Assessment Screening Tool (FRAST), Renfro MO and Fehrer S.
Montana Public Health Associationís Annual Meeting; Poster presentation;
ìFall Risk Assessment in the Primary Care Office: Dissemination of the Fall Risk Assessment Screening Tool (FRAST©)September 14, 2010; Helena, MT.
The Silver Tsunami: Crisis or Opportunity? Montana Gerontology Societyís 28th Annual Conference: presenter: Fall Prevention: What does the evidence tell us? Missoula, MT, April 14-15, 2010.
Aging in America 2010: NCOA-ASA Conference: Lead Panel Member/Presenter: Falls Prevention Coalition: Creating Networks to Deliver Affordable, Evidence-Based Interventions; Chicago, IL, March 16, 2010.
Phys Ther 1984 Jan; 64(1):41-5; Clinical trials in Duchenne dystrophy. Standardization and reliability of evaluation procedures. Florence JM, Pandya S, King WM, Robison JD, Signore LC, Wentzell M, Province MA.
Arch Neurol. 1987 Aug;44(8):808-11.Clinical investigation of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A methodology for therapeutic trials based on natural history controls.
Mendell JR, Province MA, Moxley RT 3rd, Griggs RC, Brooke MH, Fenichel GM, Miller JP, Kaiser KK, King W, Robison J, et al.
Work 6 (1996) 135-136. Competency in ergonomics for rehabilitation professionals. November 1995; Mindy Oxman Turner.
MEMBERSHIPS IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS & SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES:
American Public Health Association (APHA)
Montana Chapter of the APHA American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
Montana Chapter of the APTA Montana Chapter of the APTA
Task Force on Aide Utilization 2010
Geriatric Section of the APTA National Council on Aging (NCOA)
American Society on Aging (ASA)
Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
AARP Montana Gerontology Society (MGS)
Institute for Gerontology Education at the U. Montana
Missoula Falls Prevention Project
NCOA State Falls Free Coalition
POSITIONS HELD IN SCIENTIFIC/PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES:
Abstracter, Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association 1994
Vice-chair, Special Interest Group on Wellness in Geriatrics 2007
Item-Writer Federal State Boards of Physical Therapy 2008
Co-chair Montana Falls Prevention Coalition 2009
Activist AARP: Day on the Hill 2009
Board Member Montana Gerontology Society 2009-2010
Professional Awards:
Asked to serve on the CDC's Expert Panel for Fall Prevention
Previous Involvement in the Neurology Section:
not provided
Why Are You Running For This Position?
I am actively involved in fall prevention at a national level and a very personal level. I would like to actively work to heighten awareness for PT's to become the fall prevention practitioner of choice.