Court overturns physical therapy decision

A positive decision for patients Thursday was made in the South Carolina Supreme Court to allow physician practices to employ physical therapists, ending a longstanding disagreement regarding how the practice of physical therapy should be regulated in the state.
At stake inJoseph v. South Carolina Department of Labor, was whether physical therapists in South Carolina can provide treatment as direct employees of physicians to make that service more easily available for patients. The ruling: Physicians in South Carolina can now employ physical therapists in their practice.“This patient-centered decision from the Court supports our contention that integrated physical therapy services can be in the best interest of patients when handled ethically and in compliance with existing self-referral restrictions,” the South Carolina Orthopaedic Association said in astatement.What led to the overturn
The South Carolina Board of Physical Therapy has long sought to require physical therapists to provide their services directly to patients or through a practice group of physical therapists. However, other licensed health care professionals such as occupational therapists, speech pathologists and nurse practitioners may be employed by physicians in the state.
In 2006, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled inSloan v. South Carolina Board of Physical Therapy that the state ’s Physical Therapy Practice Act prohibited physical therapists from working in a physician’s office and provid...

Source: AMA Wire - September 16, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Troy Parks Source Type: news