Physical Therapy

More Good News for the Veterans

2009-04-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

A news article released by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) on March 5 2009 stated that "New qualifications for physical therapists who work in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) will help ensure that America's veterans continue to receive the highest quality rehabilitation for their musculoskeletal and neurological conditions and other impairments." This will further increase the quality of physical therapy care that the veterans receive through the VHA.

According to APTA President R. Scott Ward, PT, PhD, the approval of these standard will assist the VHA in recruiting and retaining expert physical therapist. He continued, "In addition, these standards will bring the VHA up to date in current professional practice in physical therapy by recognizing the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and physical therapists who achieve board certification in a specialty area."

The APTA applauds the VHA for acknowledging the important role physical therapists play in rehabilitating our nation's veterans and again I join them in doing so. This is great news for the veterans who suffer from many different illnesses. I happy to see a lot more being done for them first the representatives now the VHA, well done! I think the veterans have earned it and deserve this. Thank you!

For more information visit: http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=News_Archive&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=55878

Legislations Aims to Increase Access to Physical Therapist

2009-04-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

On April 1st a news article was released by the APTA about a bill that was introduced in the House of Representatives on the previous day that would make it easier and more efficient for Medicare beneficiaries who need physical therapist services to obtain treatment. The Bill, The Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists Act (HR 1829), was introduced by three representatives, Representatives Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), Tim Murphy (R-PA), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). The bill will allow physical therapist to evaluate and treat patients who are beneficiaries under the Medicare B plan, who require outpatient physical therapy services in states where direct access is authorized, without a physician’s referral or certification of the plan care.

According to the APTA, these beneficiaries include seniors and persons with disabilities and they usually need physical therapist services more. They are usually faced with unnecessary barriers in order to have access to a physical therapist with the current referral/certification plan. This plan often cause delays and prevents these patients from getting the care they need in a timely manner. This bill will reverse this; making the services of physical therapist readily available and more cost-effective for Medicare beneficiaries.

Again we see representatives introducing bills that can help the people of this great nation by providing services that can improve their health and well being. First it was our veterans now it is our civilians who need it more, including our seniors and people with disabilities. I applaud these representatives, I am happy to see that there are more representatives that care about the people of this country and want the best for them health and other wise. Again I hope this bill is passed and that more is done to make physical therapist more accessible and affordable for all. This is another step in the right direction for our people and the profession of physical therapy. Thank you!

For more information about this bill visit the website at:
http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Media&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=57241

Veterans to Recieve More Qualified Physical Therapist

2009-02-26T08:25:00.000-08:00

According to a news release from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) a bill was introduced by Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) called the Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act of 2009 (HR 1036). The news release states that the bill will improve the recruitment and retention of physical therapist (PT) in the Veterans Health Administration. (VHA)

Well it is about time! Some attention is given to our veterans. The people who risk their lives for the safety of this country, they deserve all the best that the country has to offer when they return from wars. The APTA applauds the introduction of this act and welcomes it with open hands. I join the APTA in applauding this introduction; it is a good step in the right way for helping the veterans of this country.

The news release states that the legislation will open a Director of Physical Therapy Service position that will report to the Under Secretary of Health, ensuring that as the profession advances the VHA keeps current with issues related to the physical therapy profession's education, qualifications, clinical privileges, and scope of practice. The release also states that the legislation will create a new fellowship program for physical therapists in the areas of geriatrics, amputee rehabilitation, polytrauma, and rehabilitation research. This will hopefully improve the quality of the service offered by PTs and increase the interacting between these professionals to advance the profession in the right way to help the veterans and other patients. All for the people who deserve it the most, the people who risk their lives to keep us all safe; the veterans.

I am happy to see that a representative is thinking about the veterans and their well being, I hope that this bill is passed that there are a lot more like this to come that will help out the people who risks their lives and sometimes suffers a lot physically and mentally just to keep the great country of The United States of America safe. Thank you!

For more information about the bill visit the website at http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=News_Archive&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=55295