The Pros And Cons Of Physical Therapy

There are numerous contemporary issues that impact physical therapy care, and vary by state or region. Many issues in the delivery of care have come and gone, or are difficult to determine because physical therapy is going through a regeneration of sorts. Proving to be a rather acquiescent profession, physical therapy is undoubtedly transforming, with new techniques at the forefront of legislation and research, the progression to specialized clinicians, and business models adjusting to economical payment structure and third party limitations. There are too many topics to talk about for the scope of this paper, so I will focus only on a few, especially those effected by reimbursement, and health care legislation changes at the federal level. In the wake of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the entire medical community is experiencing an adjustment period, certainly in the realm of outpatient physical therapy. With the ACA’s emphasis on preventative healthcare, and benefits including coverage for rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices, there are now more people than ever eligible to receive covered therapy services. This increase in healthcare coverage has led to an increase in demand for services such as physical therapy, therefore, many
Despite these “bumps in the road”, I am hopeful and confident that the future of physical therapy is much better. Perhaps, the ACA’s emphasis on prevention and wellness programs will eventually lead to a wealth of new business opportunities for physical therapists, and therapists will become increasingly involved in patient care decisions, including those related to post-in-patient treatment plans. This could go a long way toward achieving complete