Physical Therapist Direct Access What Do You Think?

Physical Therapist Direct Access What Do You Think?

Miki Fairley

6/30/2003

Hello, everyone. As you probably already know, the American Physical
Therapy Association (APTA) is working to expand the scope of physical
therapy practice both at the state and national level to include
prescription, fabrication, and provision of prosthetic and orthotic
devices to patient. This past Friday, Medicare reform legislation was
passed by both the Senate and the House. The Senate bill includes an
amendment for a three-year five-state demonstration project under which
physical therapists can see Medicare patients without a physician's
prescription.



 The O&P EDGE is planning an article on this vital subject, and we
welcome your opinion. Do you feel that Direct Access can provide some
benefits to patients? Do you feel that there should be certain limits as
to what types of devices could be provided by PTs-or that they should do
no O&P work? Why or why not?

We welcome comments from all aspects of the rehab field-orthotists,
prosthetists, physical therapists, orthopedic and PM&R physicians, and
from dual-certified practitioners-certified in both prosthetics and/or
orthotics AND physical therapy.



Please let us know whether or not we may quote you in the article by
name or anonymously or not at all. Note: Although we can quote persons
anonymously who wish this, we need to know who you are and what your
credentials are in order to know that you are qualified to express the
comments that you do.



We look forward to hearing from you.



Regards,



Miki Fairley

Editor

The O&P Edge



Western Media LLC



Phone: 970.731.2897; fax: 970.731.9366