President's MessagePosted: October 4, 2023 Last week, APTA released a ground-breaking report titled, “The Economic Value of Physical Therapy in the United States”. This report analyzed the savings per episode of care that physical therapy services yield for eight common conditions. Sophisticated economic modeling was used to determine the true value that physical therapy provides for conditions such as osteoarthritis of the knee, vascular claudication, fall prevention, low back pain, and cancer rehabilitation. Savings per episode of care for these conditions ranges from a few thousand dollars to upwards of ten thousand dollars. The take home message from this important study is: “Choosing physical therapy helps Americans live better lives and could save the health care system millions of dollars annually, ultimately providing more resources for better services to individuals and communities nationwide. Physical therapy helps Americans avoid complications from surgeries, long recoveries, and the risks of overuse of prescribed opioids and other medications.” In other words, this scientific work proves what we have been saying for years. This study was funded by APTA (your dues at work!) and led by a group of physical therapists, including APTA Home Health member Jason Falvey, PT, DPT, PhD. Included in the report is a list of several more common health conditions that have been identified for inclusion in later versions of this report pending staffing, funding, and improved evidence around each condition. You can find more information and download your own copy of this study at http://valueofpt.com. Sincerely, Phil Goldsmith |