Physician Owned Physical Therapy

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Physician-owned physical therapy service is a major controversial issue affecting many workers, patients, and states as a whole in many adverse ways. Otherwise referred to as POPTS, a physician-owned physical therapy service is one that has a financial relationship between a physician and a physical therapy office. Whether it is the physician having ownership over or investment in the practice or if the therapists were employed or contracted by the physician, it is all unfair and unethical. It oversteps professional boundaries and creates a skeptical relationship that is strictly beneficial to the physicians. There is uncertainty and controversy with physician owned specialty hospitals in general, but physical therapy is a narrower…show more content…
The results of this study came out to be exactly what they were afraid of. It is not a coincidence that the referral rate is higher in physician owned practices. This initiation of therapy by the physician clearly proves that they are in it for simply for the money and not for the health of the patient. 575 million dollars each year is lost in California due to physical therapy compensation costs and “generates approximately $233 million per year in services delivered for economic rather than clinical reasons.” This is hurting everyone involved as well as many who are not involved. Each state as a whole is losing much needed money and it is going down the drain due to these physician owned practices. The amount of compensation fees that they must pay the workers are off the charts and most of the employees work overtime and with a large group of patients. Many people also argue the benefits of physician owned physical therapy services and the other side of the argument must be presented as well. Some may say that the quality of care is better with joint services. A greater role by the physician may be played in order to help the patient. The physicians can work together with the therapists and collaborate and exchange information and thoughts on the patients health. Because they would be working as a team as one, there is immediate feedback and constant communication. If the physical therapy is not seeming…show more content…
Among the patients who understand they have been sent to a POPTS without having been given a choice, many do not want to challenge their doctors. Meanwhile, PTs who rely on doctors for patient referrals do not want to alienate physicians and put their own practices at risk. Nevertheless, the evidence against these practices has encouraged some to speak out and address their personal issues of POPTS. The ones who have experienced the actions first hand can make the biggest impact because they have personally gone through and witnessed the unethical

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