Patients In Hawaii Gain Direct Access To Physical Therapist Services

Since we are in the winter months of the year I thought I would compliment this article with a nice warm image of Maui.  I am happy to know that we are continuing to make progress toward direct access for the entire country!  I picked just a quick summary to post on here but to read the full article Click Here

Patients in Hawaii now can be evaluated and treated by physical therapists without first having to obtain a physician referral. With the passage of new State Board of Physical Therapy regulations, Hawaii becomes the 46th state to achieve direct access, says the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). While direct access laws vary from state to state, with some states having more limitations, patients in Hawaii will have unrestricted access to physical therapist services.

“After more than 10 years of hard work, we are elated that the rules have finally been passed,” said Ann Frost, PT, president of the Hawaii Chapter of APTA. “Many people contributed to this process by serving on the State Board of Physical Therapy, attending Board meetings, attending the hearing, and educating the public and the physical therapycommunity about these much needed updates. We have been impressed by the incredible attention to detail, resulting in optimal language that moves physical therapy practice forward into the 21st century. As health care reform continues to progress, Hawaii’s people can now enjoy the ability to receive physical therapy in a more cost- and time-effective manner.” Full Article

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