Hi List- Here are two more responses about the discussion on a OandP
facility hiring an in house PT.
Randy McFarland, CPO
I’d like to make one more comment/observation if I may. One of my last
responsibilities before retiring was to open a new facility in Southeast
Virginia. I was approached by a PT wanting to start his own practice but
couldn’t afford a lease on a full size facility. We reached an agreement
whereby he would sublease a portion of our new building. It worked out
great and, to the best of my knowledge continues to do so.
My comment/observation is this. There may come a time when every O
& P facility may have to put a PT on staff/payroll, especially in those
states where there is no O & P license or those states where O & P is
included in the PT “Scope Of Practice”. What the Scope Of Practice means
to the State and the General Public, is that the PT’s are the ONLY
individuals “licensed” to provide O & P services. Right now, as it
stands, if you’re practicing in one of those states, theoretically you
cannot provide Gait Training to any of your “customers”. Only PT’s are
licensed to do that. If a therapist really wanted to push the issue, the
law would be on their side. They could actually prevent you from doing
any kind of gait training in your facility. Unless they were on
staff/payroll. Starting to get the picture?
I said it long ago, and I’ll say it again, it won’t be long before
O & P professionals work for PT’s rather than the opposite. It light of
the recent breakdown regarding unification it might make PT’s position
stronger. They do, after all, have the larger lobbying capabilities.
In 1987 I had my own PT gym and the best PT in the state working with
me. We even had BC/BS approve us to provide comprehensive care for one
flat fee. This included all medical supervision, PT training, prep & def
pros. We also provided ale cart services. It failed miserably. It may
have been ahead of its time or just the local environment, but it failed
because of resistance from the physicians.
