APTA Vision 2020: A Case Study

As a physical therapist, one is able to make a difference in the lives of the patients he or she encounters. Whether they have a minor injury, such as a broken

My career goal is to have my own Physical Therapy practice, and to be my own boss. I want to help revolutionize the ways in which medical personnel approach their patients, as there tends to be a disconnection between patients and medical staff. One of the biggest challenges I will likely face is owning my own practice, because I would first need to work under another company until I gain enough experience and financial wellness to open my own office. However, money and experience are only a small portion of making my business and my vision successful. I will need to be diligent in my pursuits, despite any setbacks that may occur, in an effort to help my practice thrive. My patients will be my number one concern in this respect. If I implement

This frees up the physician’s schedule to see only the medically necessary patients, whereas PTs can share the load of musculoskeletal evaluations. Mitchell and Lissovoy published a study in 1994 on the cost effectiveness of direct access to PTs. They found that the costs for PT visits were 123% higher when patients were first seen by a physician as compared to when they were seen by a physical therapist directly. Establishing close working relationships between medical doctors and PTs, with a 2-way referral of patients, is essential to reduce not only unnecessary referrals, but also improve patient satisfaction and create an efficient process for reducing overall medical costs.

Physical therapist assistants spend so much time getting to know their patients. Most of the time, patients will need therapy 3 times a week for at least 4 weeks. Seeing patients that often really lets you get to know someone. I love communicating with people and seeing them improve. I work at a physical therapy clinic and see the connection between the therapist and patient. The patient’s want to be there. They like knowing they can get answers from the therapist providing treatment if they need to ask a question

With the job outlook of the physical therapy field being expected to grow by 34 percent by 2024, faster than the average occupation, the average annual wage at a whopping $84,020, paid sick and vacation days and the flexible work environment, this seems like the perfect profession to enter. Having a career in physical therapy can be very rewarding because a physical therapist gets to watch as his or her patients improve every appointment through treatment. Unfortunately, this is not always the case in this profession. There are many disadvantages, and knowing these will help anyone interested in this field have a better understanding of how tough pursuing a career in this field can be. Being a physical therapist can be a rewarding experience and have amazing benefits. However, it is important to be aware of the disadvantages: the extreme amount of education, physical demands, emotional demands and the continuation of education requirements.

Again, I see the mistake of both PT and PTA. Texas Physical therapy examiner rules says it is the professional responsibility of the PT to reexamine and reevaluate the patient at the minimum of once every 60 days after treatment has initiated.2 Likewise it is also mentioned in Texas Physical Therapy examiners rule that PTA may not continue the provision of physical therapy treatment if the PT has not performed a reevaluation.2 Under the provision of supervision, all level of supervision requires some form of communication, telecommunication being the least.3 However, no form of communication took place between the PT and

Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) signed into law in March 2010, a few things have changed in the provision of physical therapy services, in specific productivity standards and reimbursement in outpatient physical therapy clinics. The Affordable Care Act has resulted in an increased demand for physical therapy services primarily due to the construction of the Health Insurance Marketplace. This created new health insurance options to help Americans acquire health insurance, who previously were not able to afford it. Although the ACA is a very extensive and complex piece of legislation, it has ultimately resulted in more individuals who are eligible for physical therapy services. This increased demand not only comes from the ACA but also from reimbursement cuts from insurance companies, subsequently causing physical therapists to overload their schedules as a means to offset these cuts. These demands are without factoring in the aging baby boomer population, which is expected to increased the physical therapist need by 30% from 2008 to 2018 (cite). Physical therapy is about providing the best patient care, however patient care is also a business and businesses are centered on revenue. Below are some of the current proposed solutions along with personal solutions and insight on the productivity issue.

As a PTA I have been given a breath of knowledge in regard to the profession of physical therapy. However, I am not satisfied with this breath of knowledge. I yearn for the opportunity to gain a further understanding in terms of “how and why” physical therapy is successful at restoring function to individuals seeking

So, I am going to clear up some of these myths. These myths are from a article I read called 7 Direct Access Myths Debunked. One topic is that it only applies to private outpatient Physical Therapy Practices. The truth is that is applies to many other areas as well like private pay home care or sports field and performing arts venues, etc. So it's not just applied for one group. If you really need serious go to a physical therapy clinic but you still might have to get approval from your primary care physician. Another Myth is that Direct access doesn’t exist in every state. That is somewhat true but there are different levels of direct access. A state my just limit the amount or put a limit on it. So a form of direct access does exist in every state so you just have to figure out what works best for you. Mississippi is one of the six states that has strict limitations that still require approval. Another myth is that allowing patients coming without a referral from their physician puts their health at risk. “Physical Therapist are doctoral-level medical professionals whose training and education make them more than qualified to not only conduct initial evaluations, but also recognize when a patient’s medical needs fall outside of their scope”(Andrus). Physical Therapist are doctors. They go to med-school like every other doctor does. They can see when a Patient needs therapy or not. According to Apta’s Guide of Professional Conduct it is required that PT’s should evaluate the patient for signs and symptoms of damage for therapy. A doctor would not just treat someone without evaluating

As a New York Physical therapist, I urge you to veto measure AB 3551. This ill conceived legislation fails to understand the value of the current New York state law in curbing medical practices that may undermine the quality of care as it relates to physical therapists. As you are aware, Rep Jackie Spencer, the person who introduced the AB 3551, argued that self-referral by physicians increases cost (American Physical Therapy Association, 2014). He also stated that it encouraged an unnecessary use of services that do not promote the integrity of health care provision. If enacted, the law will eliminate financial incentives from the physician referral process. Rep Jackie Spencer is under the impression that the law will ensure that medical decisions will promote the patients’ interest. The lawmakers also have the impression that the financial incentives have encouraged physicians to expand the number of prescribed procedures, which is against the code of conduct of the profession. If enacted into law, it will complicate the work of physicians.

Under the old Georgia Physical Therapy Act, a physical therapist was allowed to examine and evaluate of patient or client without a referral source. The only treatment a physical therapist could provide without a referral source was in the area of fitness, wellness, or prevention that was not related to an injury. Effective July 1, 2015, the current Georgia Physical Therapy Act grants physical therapists limited direct access, or the terminology used in the act is self-referral. Under the new practice act a patient who self-refers can be seen by a physical therapist for a maximum of 21 days or eight visits before required to have a referral from the patient’s provider. (Georgia Physical Therapy Act, 2015). A stipulation is that a written disclosure must be provided to the patient that the physical therapy diagnosis is not a medical diagnosis. (Georgia Physical Therapy Act, 2015). Additionally, a provider referral is not required for patients who return for treatment within 90 days that have been previously diagnosed with a chronic musculoskeletal condition (Georgia Physical Therapy

As a practicing physical therapist in the state of Georgia, and over 35 years of clinical experience in this healthcare field, I am writing to you today to gain the support of your insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGA) in the recent achievement of direct access for physical therapists in Georgia. Currently, patients in the state of Georgia now have direct access to physical therapists without the requirement of a physician referral; however under the current health care system physical therapists are still prevented from providing necessary medical treatment to patients, on the account of that services rendered under direct access are not reimbursed by BCBSGA. This extra step places a burden to the consumer by increasing

Dose our limited knowledge, lake of confidence and self-restricting polices are one of the major contributor for slow progress of direct access in field of physical therapy?

In response to your insightful question, it does seem odd that we do not have one unified Physical Therapy Practice Act; ). Another reason mentioned by Rivera are the unique characteristic of each state including the geography, location, demographics, historical operations of business, commerce, and industry and public policies and community standards.

Physiotherapists were first able to serve as primary contact providers in Australia in 1976 with the lifting of the Australian Physiotherapy Association’s ethical principle stating “It is unethical for a member to act in a professional capacity except on referral by a registered medical or dental practitioner”. [1, pg 217] Although the change met much debate, the United Kingdom followed suit in 1978. [1] This legislation had yet to pass in all 50 American states, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands until July 1, 2014. [2]