RT Book, Section
A1 Davenport, Todd E.
A1 Kulig, Kornelia
A1 Sebelski, Chris A.
A1 Gordon, James
A1 Watts, Hugh G.
SR Print(0)
ID 1133812345
T1 Preface
T2 Diagnosis for Physical Therapists: A Symptom-Based Approach
YR 2013
FD 2013
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9780803615281
LK fadavispt.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1133812345
RD 2024/04/20
AB Direct  access  to  physical  therapy  is  a  central  tenet  of  the  American  Physical  Therapy  Association's  Vision  2020  statement.  Vision  2020  anticipates  physical  therapists  being  "recognized  by  consumers  and  other  health  care  professionals  as  the  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."1  One  clear  assumption  of  Vision  2020  –  with  its  emphasis  on  consumer  direct  access  –  is  that  physical  therapists  must  function  autonomously  to  determine  whether  physical  therapy  is  appropriate  for  their  patients.  This  function  involves  being  able  to  decide  whether  to  begin  physical  therapy,  refer  their  patient  to  another  health  care  provider  for  additional  consultation  or  management,  or  both.  If  the  decision  to  refer  to  another  health  care  provider  is  made,  then  the  appropriate  disposition  and  urgency  must  be  established.