Patients In Hawaii Gain Direct Access To Physical Therapist Services

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Patients In Hawaii Gain Direct Access To Physical Therapist Services

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/213058.php

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 therapy community 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. "

Prior to implementation of the new board regulations, patients could only be

evaluated by a physical therapist without referral. The new regulations, which

also allow for treatment without referral, bring Hawaii in line with the vast

majority of other states that have allowed direct access safely and effectively

for years.

The enactment of patient direct access in Hawaii is especially meaningful for

one resident of Oahu, Betsy Kendall-McCreary. McCreary is the daughter of

Florence Kendall, PT, who was a leading pioneer in the physical therapy

profession. Kendall was licensed to practice in Hawaii and, as a consultant to

the Surgeon General of the Army, evaluated the Army programs at Tripler Army

Medical Center and Schofield Barracks on Oahu. Kendall also helped enact one of

the first direct access laws in the country by advocating for legislation in

land in 1979 that removed the referral requirement. McCreary testified in

support of the proposed board regulations during a public hearing on November 9,

2010, in Honolulu.

" You can be sure if Florence Kendall was alive today at age 100, she would be

100% thrilled with the enactment of direct access in Hawaii and wonder why it

took so long, " said McCreary.

In addition to removing the burdensome physician referral requirement, the new

regulations make other improvements and revisions to the practice of physical

therapy. The regulations were signed December 3, 2010, by outgoing Governor

Lingle and went into effect December 9, 2010.