Hello: The following message was sent to me by Chuck Willmarth who is State Affairs manager at the AOTA. He wants to post it to the list but is having difficulty, so I am doing it for him.
Ron ============================================== This message originated: ON: Tuesday, July 16, 2002 FROM: Andrew M. Ball, PT, MS, MBA [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBJ: [PTManager] OT's and use of Modalities Rick, Great question. I would refer you to Dr. Rothstein's recent editorial in PHYSICAL THERAPY in which he makes the case that there is a difference between who we are and what we do (e.g. The profession of Physical Therapy versus physical therapy treatments/physical therapy modalities). As a turf battle brews between PT's and OT's (at least in North Carolina) based upon the ridiculous notion of the NC OT Association that PT's are not qualified or trained to provide intervention with respect to fine motor problems or activities of daily living (e.g. non-gait related functional training), I believe that we as physical therapists should not give anything away. Even chiropractors respect physical therapy modalities as "physical therapy" even if they don't generally understand who we are a Physical Therapists. As such, under current conditions, I believe that it would be foolish to give up one of the few things that the general public, as well as some of our strongest opponents within the heatlhcare marketplace, perceive as clearly "physical therapy," even if being a Physical Therapist encompasses much more than that. Given the unprovoked and organized attacks by state and national occupational therapy associations upon the scope of practice of physical therapists with respect to fine motor problems and functional activity, I belive that the offensive must be taken on the issue of physical therapy modalities. Given the close and traditionally cordial relationship between PT's and OT's, it's unfortunate, but physical therapists didn't draw the battle line in the sand --- we just need to defend it. Andrew M. Ball, PT, MS, MBA ===== Andrew M. Ball, PT, MS, MBA, CITFS Ph.D. Candidate (ABD), Healthcare Management *********��*********** Unsubscribe? Send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the message's *body*, put the following text: unsubscribe OTlist ** List messages are archived at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] *********��***********
