Join us for this exciting episode of FOX Five, where FOX Rehabilitation occupational therapist Savanna Grife, M, OTR/L, CFPS, shares her top five ways technology helps her enhance patient care. In this tech-focused edition, Savanna discusses practical apps she uses with her patients, from relaxation tools to tracking health metrics, and highlights the powerful MedBridge platform for exercises and patient education. Learn how she uses digital tools to break down complex concepts like joint anatomy with YouTube videos and anatomical diagrams, making it easier for patients to understand their treatment. She also reveals how FOX’s documentation system boosts patient confidence by showing tangible progress. Finally, discover how team culture thrives through Microsoft Teams, connecting colleagues across distances. Whether you're in healthcare or just curious about the tech revolution in rehab, this episode will give you fresh insights into the future of patient care. Don’t miss it!
Jim: Welcome to The FOX Five, the show that explores the wonderful world of FOX Rehabilitation through an original list created by a FOX colleague. We welcome back FOX Five veteran, FOX Rehabilitation occupational therapist, Savanna Grife. Thank you for coming back, Savanna.
Savanna: Hello, thank you for having me again!
Jim: We always love having you on The FOX Five. And, um, got a little spoiler alert: I know what your FOX Five is about today, and I'm very curious to hear your five. So, okay, the viewing public does not know. Savanna, today, what is your FOX Five?
Savanna: My FOX Five is Five Ways Technology Helps Me Do My Job Better.
Jim: Yes! At FOX Rehabilitation, we take innovation seriously.
Savanna: I appreciate how FOX Rehabilitation recognizes how technology can help us be more efficient too. I know that tech can become frustrating; it can be annoying at times, but it can also help with efficiency as well.
Jim: No, you're right. Because when I have to update my computer, it's the worst day of my year. But then, once I'm back on track, I'm like, "Okay, the tech is helping me out now.” Alright, let's get into this tech edition of The FOX Five. Savanna, what is Number One?
Savanna: Number One is, I like to use applications—phone apps—to my advantage when I'm working with my patients. Just to give you a couple examples, a lot of you have probably heard of the Calm app for relaxation. So, if a patient has high blood pressure or is anxious, I’m like, “Hey, check out this Calm app. Let’s go through one together. Let’s do a little bit of meditation." You can also use the Health app to have a patient track their steps or their heart rate if they have an Apple Watch. And then I also use a metronome app sometimes to set a pace—a beats per minute—if I'm doing something with endurance or want them to do a certain number of repetitions at a certain speed. Then I’ll use the metronome.
Jim: Don’t fear technology—lean into tech!
Savanna: Yes, use it to your advantage.
Jim: Alright, Savanna, what's Number Two on your FOX Five?
Savanna: Number Two is MedBridge. I love MedBridge, and I love the home exercise program function. I also love how MedBridge has a patient education section as well, for diagnoses. Also, they show videos for exercises, so I really encourage my patients—the ones who know how to use a computer or a smartphone—to go look at the videos and do the exercises along with the videos. That will help you progress quicker.
Jim: Just a reminder that all FOX clinicians get a free subscription to MedBridge.
Savanna: I love that. It's a huge bonus.
Jim: That's a perk of working with FOX! Savanna, what is Number Three on your FOX Five?
Savanna: Number Three is using technology to provide patient education through YouTube videos, anatomical diagrams on Google, things like that. If someone says, "I don’t understand what’s going on in my joints," I pull up a diagram and say, "Let me show you what’s going on. Let me show you all the parts of the shoulder, and let me show you what muscle we’re working today, and let me show you why you’re feeling the pain here, instead of where you think the pain should be."
Jim: It is amazing to think about how far we’ve come with technology. If we were doing this FOX Five 40 or 50 years ago, you would have had to walk your patient to their wall of encyclopedias to do that. But now, you can just pull it up on your phone. So, that brings us to number Four on your FOX Five.
Savanna: Yes! I love this one. I love to use our documentation system, Rinatree, to show patients their progress. For example, we’ll be doing a balance activity, and a patient will think maybe they did really badly, and I’ll say, "But no, look! I’m looking back at my note from last session. Here’s where you can see it. This is how many times you lost your balance, and today, you only lost your balance this many times." So, it really helps to have that history that I can pull up and show them. "This is your progress. It's right here, documented for you."
Jim: That’s a confidence boost.
Savanna: It is, and they often don’t realize it.
Jim: And once again, you’re not fumbling through papers. You can see it on a screen, right?
Savanna: Yeah.
Jim: And that brings us to Number Five on your FOX Five.
Savanna: Number Five is using the Teams chat to build culture. I don’t see anyone throughout the day; I don’t see any of my colleagues. So, I feel like using the Teams chat, we like to share pictures. We do Win Wednesday and Thankful Thursday. It just keeps the team motivated and keeps us connected while we’re on the go and scattered throughout our Maryland 3 region.
Jim: That’s a good one because I almost take it for granted. We use Microsoft Teams, and I see colleagues maybe once a month, but we do stay connected through those chats, and we’re sending pictures, GIFs, emojis, and messages. It is a great way to stay connected, and that is technology.
Savanna: Yep, exactly.
Jim: Well done, Savanna. Thank you!
Savanna: That’s what I have for you today.
Jim: We had an episode of the podcast recently, and there was a clinician who used Alexa for a patient with low vision. Alexa was reading a book to the patient that they hadn’t read in years, and I think it almost brought them to tears.
Savanna: Wow, that’s cool.
Jim: It’s cool that we can use technology for the advantage of our patients.
Savanna: That’s awesome.
Jim: Yes. Alright, well, Savanna, the invitation is always open to you on The FOX Five.
Savanna: Thank you, Jim!
