PROCLAMATION

The citizens of California do proclaim that;

WHEREAS, today’s physical therapist is a healthcare professional prepared at the clinical doctorate level and qualified for direct access.

WHEREAS, through advances in the science and practice of physical therapy, physical therapists have earned the public’s trust and recognition as healthcare professionals. 

WHEREAS, health professionals are granted certain privileges in society such as self-regulation and earning power in exchange for meeting societal needs.

WHEREAS, the 2010-2011 edition of the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Handbook describes the physical therapist as part of the healthcare professional workforce; qualified to practice as one of the “health diagnosing and treating practitioners.”

WHEREAS, the physical therapists will have a greater role in health management including primary and secondary prevention, disease mitigation, and health promotion in addition to our role as a primary health practitioner.

WHEREAS, research has shown that physical therapist direct access has been shown to result in a savings of $1,200 (or 123%) per patient case.

WHEREAS, research has shown that access to PT within the first 30 days following back pain has been shown to reduce the need for spinal surgery and epidural steroid injections by over 50%.

WHEREAS, referral and access to physical therapy for the treatment of low back pain has been reported to be as low as 18% because of the favoring of more invasive procedures.

WHEREAS, physical therapy and exercise are recommended over expensive imaging, surgeries, drugs and injections by leading public health researchers for chronic lower back pain, the second most expensive disorder to treat in the U.S.

WHEREAS, a medical diagnosis or “label” seldom provides helpful information influencing a physical therapist’s evaluation or treatment.

WHEREAS, research showed that physical therapists and physical therapy students score HIGHER on the Harvard Musculoskeletal Screening exam than ALL physician specialties, except for orthopaedic surgeons.

WHEREAS, the American Association of Retired Persons, (AARP), has noted that 3 out of 4 conditions for which patients should avoid surgery; fusion for back pain, arthroscopy for knee arthritis, and coronary stents for stable angina, can be treated cost-effectively with physical therapy and exercise.

WHEREAS, the current healthcare system cannot assure the health of our younger population as the proportion of the adult population 65 and older increased to 20% by 2050.

WHEREAS, with each decade, basic or complex activity limitations progressively increase (26% at 65-74 year, 36% at 75-84 year, 62% at 85 years and older).

WHEREAS, changes in the demographics of our society, medical technology that decreases mortality, but increases morbidity, and the need for affordable healthcare options will impact the demand for physical therapy. 

WHEREAS, physical therapists are health professionals trained to address the consequences of pain, weakness, and impaired mobility through physical therapy interventions that are restorative and preventive.

WHEREAS, physical therapists have knowledge in systems physiology and pathophysiology and the effects of disease or injury on human movement across the lifespan.

WHEREAS, with each decade, basic or complex activity limitations progressively increase (26% at 65-74 year, 36% at 75-84 year, 62% at 85 years and older) and that physical therapists, in alignment with Healthy People 2020, are in a position to support public health by preventing injury or disease at the community-level rather than treat or cure disease, mitigating the need for more costly disease management or emergency services.

WHEREAS, concern over a growing health care disparity caused by lack of access, high cost, burdensome regulations, inadequate medical management of chronic health conditions, and an insufficient number of primary care physicians has resulted in physician leaders speaking out to abandon the long-standing opposition to non-physician practitioners as primary care providers in order to increase access to affordable care.

WHEREAS, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may provide physical therapists the opportunity to bridge the gap between the “chasm” of health care service delivery to improve the health of our nation.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that physical therapy has earned the distinction as a health care profession capable of meeting societal health care needs and Californians are deserving of the freedom to directly access physical therapists' services.

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