Recent Studies Undercut the American Physical Therapy Association’s Long-Standing Position Against Physician-Owned Physical Therapy
Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) September 28, 2016 -- Cary Edgar, President of PT Management Support Systems, and Michael Baer, a PT Supervisor at Rebound Orthopedics & Neurosurgery, authored an article in AAOS Now, a publication of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, analyzing recently-published studies that refute the American Physical Therapy Association’s long-standing campaign against physician-owned physical therapy services (or so-called "POPTS"). This updated analysis discusses:
• How the APTA has continues to mislead its membership, the public and others by misconstruing outdated and flawed studies to support its campaign against POPTS;
• The most current and reliable studies regarding the differences between the costs of physical therapy delivered by physician groups and private physical therapy practices;
• A U.S. General Accounting Office study showing that average number of PT procedures per 1,000 Medicare patients treated in POPTS clinics generally remained the same from 2004 through 2010, while the number of procedures per 1,000 Medicare patients treated by other PT providers grew by 41% and that, during the same period, total Medicare expenditures for POPTS increased by only 10% percent while expenditures for patients treated by other PT providers increased by 57%; and
• A study of workers’ compensation claims showing that private PT practices averaged over 16% more visits and 22% more procedures and corporate PT clinics averaged 25% more visits and 56% more procedures per patient than POPTS.
“While the rest of health care is moving toward integrated delivery systems with many types of providers coordinating care, the APTA insists that we are all better off being treated by independent physical therapists despite compelling evidence to the contrary,” says Edgar.
You can access the AAOS Now article here: http://www.aaos.org/AAOSNow/2016/Sep/Managing/managing02/?ssopc=1
About PT Management Support Systems
PTM is the nationwide leader in helping healthcare organizations, hospitals and physician groups develop and optimize the performance of physical and occupational therapy programs. In addition to providing practical and tested financial, operational and compliance solutions, PTM offers real-time physical and occupational therapy benchmarking, productivity tracking and reporting through its web-based TherapyWorks solution. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, PTM currently works with healthcare organizations throughout the U.S. For additional information, contact Diana Kem.
Diana Kem, PT Management Support Systems LLC, +1 480-206-6240, [email protected]
Share this article