Advanced Competency in Home Health Courses

The "core courses" lay the groundwork for the Advanced Competency program. There are five core courses in each bundle track (PT or PTA). The assessment course is different for the Physical Therapist and Physical Therapist Assistant tracks, but the other 4 courses are the same.

Participants are required to complete the “Ethical Considerations” course for the program, but it is not a pre-requisite for the face-to-face course. The other 4 courses in the Core Course series are pre-requisites for the face-to-face course.

Core Courses

  • Home Health Clinical Assessment (4.5 hours)
    • PT track ONLY, pre-requisite for face-to-face course
  • Cardiopulmonary Assessment for the Home Health Physical Therapist Assistant (1.25 hours)
    • PTA track ONLY, pre-requisite for face-to-face course
  • Pharmacology for the Home Health Physical Therapist (4.25 hours)
    • PT & PTA, pre-requisite for face-to-face course
  • Home Health Regulation & Documentation (1.25 hours)
    • PT & PTA, pre-requisite for face-to-face course
  • Balance & Falls: Factors, Measurements, and Interventions for Home Health (4.0 hours)
    • PT & PTA, pre-requisite for face-to-face course
  • Ethical Considerations for Physical Therapists Practicing in the Home Health Setting (1.0 hours)
    • PT & PTA, required for the Advanced Competency program, but not a pre-requisite for the face-to-face course

Save a BUNDLE

The above core courses are available in discounted bundles in the APTA Home Health Learning Center for each track.

Live Face-to-Face Course/Virtual Seminar

The Advanced Competency in Home Health face-to-face course is offered several times each year by the Home Health Academy. When available, details and registration may be accessed through our Calendar of Events. The course is also offered as a pre-conference course at the Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) each winter in collaboration with APTA. Registration for CSM typically opens in September of each year and you must register for CSM through APTA. Registration for the face-to-face course/virtual seminar must be purchased separately and is NOT included in the PT Course Bundle.

  • You’ll be required to complete and pass (70% or higher) an online post-test for the face-to-face course/virtual seminar.
  • Individual employers or organizations interested in sponsoring this course for their staff should contact the Home Health Section. Note that we require a minimum of 35 attendees for in person courses.

** PLEASE NOTE - The face-to-face course has transitioned to a virtual seminar for the foreseeable future due to COVID-19. Click Here for details and to register for upcoming virtual seminars. 

Online Course Electives

Advanced Competency Physical Therapist participants must successfully complete a minimum of 4 credit hours of elective coursework to be eligible for the certificate. The electives may be completed at any time during the 24-month period of certificate eligibility. This list is updated as elective courses are added. You must pass the online quiz for each elective course you choose with a 70% or higher. A CEU certificate will be emailed to you once you complete the elective course. Click here to browse all elective courses. 

To learn more about a specific course, click on the title of the elective course below. If you decide to complete the course, you must complete the purchase form on the specific course page and you will be emailed instructions on how to access the course. 

**Please note that these elective courses must be purchased separately and are NOT included in the PT Core Course Bundle. Some elective courses are worth more than 4 credit hours, in which you would only need to complete 1 elective course. If the course you wish to take is only worth 2 credit hours, you must complete 2 elective courses. 

*PTAs enrolled in the Advanced Competency program are not required to complete elective courses for the initial certificate.
*Online elective course registrants are not required to participate in the Advanced Competency program to complete and receive credit for these courses.