Direct access and entry to profession with a doctoral degree

[Joe Wells]

Hello Ron and others: Wanted to know what your thoughts were on the following issues: 1. Medicare direct access for OT ( I saw that this was discussed earlier, wanted to see what the reactions were now) 2. Entry-level doctoral program for OT 3. PTs claim on function as well. For a little background, I pasted some excerpts from APTA's websites on these issues as it relates to our closest kin. __________________________________________ DIRECT ACCESS Senators Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Arlen Specter (R-PA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), and John Ensign (R-NV) introduced the Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists Act of 2003 (S493) on Thursday. Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives (HR792) 2 weeks ago. The two bills are similar to legislation introduced in the last session of Congress to provide Medicare beneficiaries with direct access in states that currently allow non-Medicare patients to see physical therapists without a referral. Vision Sentence By 2020, physical therapy will be provided by physical therapists who are doctors of physical therapy, recognized by consumers and other health care professionals as practitioners of choice to whom consumers have direct access for the diagnosis of, interventions for, and prevention of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities related to movement, function, and health.   What is the rationale for having professional (entry-level) DPT programs? The rationale for awarding the DPT is based on at least four factors, among others: 1) the level of practice inherent to the patient/client management model in the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice requires considerable breadth and depth in educational preparation, a breadth and depth not easily acquired within the time constraints of the typical MPT program; 2) societal expectations that the fully autonomous healthcare practitioner with a scope of practice consistent with the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice be a clinical doctor; 3) the realization of the profession's goals in the coming decades, including direct access, "physician status" for reimbursement purposes, and clinical competence consistent with the preferred outcomes of evidence-based practice, will require that practitioners possess the clinical doctorate (consistent with medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, and podiatry); and 4) many existing professional (entry-level) MPT programs already meet the requirements for the clinical doctorate; in such cases, the graduate of a professional (entry-level) MPT program is denied the degree most appropriate to the program of study.   In an editorial that appeared in PT Magazine in October 1999, the publisher remarked: "Physical therapists are good people to know. They’re educated in understanding the interaction of all your body parts. Their hands-on approach begins with examination, diagnosis, and treatment of the immediate problem. Then they teach you how to take care of yourself by showing you how to do exercises and how to use your body properly to gain strength and mobility and prevent recurring injury. You’ll find them advising on proper posture and body motion in the work place, treating injuries, consulting on fitness, and administering physical therapy in the home. Today physical therapists provide help for every part of the body to everyone from infants to the elderly — more than 1 million people every day!" ......... ........ A Closer Look Focus on Physical Therapy by Andrew Guccione, PT, PhD, FAPTA What Is a Physical Therapist?.......In today’s health care system, physical therapists are the experts in the examination and treatment of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular problems that affect peoples’ abilities to move the way they want and function as well as they want in their daily lives. ...........Because physical therapists are experts in movement and function, they do not confine their talents to treating people who are ill. A large part of a physical therapist’s program is directed at preventing injury and loss of movement. .........