Direct Access to Physical Therapy

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Recommended: Why pursue a physical therapy assistant

Introduction

The physical therapy profession like many other health care professions is constantly evolving. The evolution is being followed by the growing pressure from the federal government, insurance companies, employers, and patients who are seeking high quality care to be cost effectively. Over the decades the roles of a physical therapist has been changing from dependence on physicians to independent practice under a self-governing professional model. Direct access allows patients to seek physical therapy interventions by going to them directly and not having to spend time and money in the doctor’s office to get a referral first. Some people may not recognize the term direct access since in most states it is consider something else like consumer’s choice. Direct access is not something new; it has been thought about for a very long time. Since 1957 the American Physical Therapy Association has been trying to change the law and practice acts so that physical therapists can obtain direct access to patients without referral at both the state and national level. Everyone in the profession has believed that physical therapy needs to become an autonomous profession. To become a physical therapist you know need a Doctorate of Physical Therapy instead of a Masters degree and for physical therapist assistants their education has been raised from a Certificate to an Associate degree. It was decided that in order to help pass state laws and practice autonomously the physical therapy profession needed to raise their education level from a Masters degree to a Doctorate degree. Direct access allows consumers the choice of health care providers, improve access to services that encourage prevention and wellness and it also helps ...

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... RS, Davenport TE. Direct access compared with referred physical therapy episodes of care: A systematic review. Phys Ther. 2014;94(1):14-30. http://search.proquest.com/docview/1494384704?accountid=35715. Accessed April 10,2014

11. Patterson K, Patterson R. Direct Access to Physical Therapy in Michigan is Overdue. Medical Student Research Journal. Accessed April 20, 2014.

12. Schunk C, Thut C. Autonomous practice: Issues of risk. PT. 2003;11(5):34-38,40. http://search.proquest.com/docview/216821958?accountid=35715. Accessed April 4,2014

13. Warren T. Share the facts about medicare direct access. PT. 2008;16(4):40-41. http://search.proquest.com/docview/216827185?accountid=35715. Accessed April 3, 2014

14. Wendel E. Study: Direct Access to Physical Therapists Associated With Lower Costs and Fewer Visits, New Study Says. www.apta.org. Accessed April 20, 2014.

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