American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)

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Ever since we have entered the 21st century, physiotherapist employment has increased drastically in the United States of America [HiT America]. By definition the role of the physiotherapist is to diagnose and subsequently treat their client’s presenting injury or illness that in itself is a limiting factor to movement or physical function, to improve quality of life; movement or prevent the worsening of the condition. The foremost physiotherapy association in America is the American Physical Therapy Association, or APTA, representing over 95,000 physiotherapist members. Operating from Virginia, where its Head Quarters reside, APTA is an individual professional organization supporting not only physiotherapist but also, physiotherapy aids and …show more content…

APTA aspires its members to practice their profession using clinical applications based on theoretical and scientific evidence. APTA in fact works alongside strategic business partners such as Bioness, Net Health and Rusk Rehabilitation at NYU Langone amongst others, to continue evolving and improve their research for a richer evidenced foundation. The next component APTA considers crucial is jurisdiction, or better known as the legal aspect of the profession by the state’s physical therapy practice act. The practice act, equivalent to the licensure law binds a physiotherapist to work within the scope of the profession such that one may prevent being held liable of malpractice. Physiotherapists in America are licensed to conduct their practice in all the fifty states and also in the districts of Puerto Rico and Columbia and the US Virgin Islands. To achieve his or her licensure, one must carry out the competency specific National Physical Therapy exam given out by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapists (FSBPT). The exam wraps together the scope of the profession which includes the theory, assessment and diagnosis, the treatment intervention or prevention and consultation. Additionally, the physiotherapist must also retain the qualification of graduation from a physiotherapy educational program which is accredited by the …show more content…

APTA strives to transform the quality of life and human experience by optimizing the individual’s physical movement thus ameliorating everyday function. This goal, ‘Vision Statement for the Physiotherapy Profession’, is in fact a dynamic strategic plan which is regularly reviewed and updated according to society’s current needs which will in turn inspire the society to build innovative systems to improve function which helps the individual to contribute to society itself. Rightly so, Vision Statement is guided by the following eight

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