Department of Physical Therapy, High Point University Congdon School of Health Sciences, High Point, NC, USA.
Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
J Man Manip Ther. 2024 Aug;32(4):435-445. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2023.2296260. Epub 2023 Dec 21.
To examine physical therapist awareness and utilization of imaging referral privileges in the United States (US) and how it relates to direct access frequency.
This study utilized survey data collected in 2020-2021 from US physical therapists. Subjects were asked about imaging referral jurisdictional authority in their state. Responses were analyzed for accuracy and compared to the level of jurisdictional authority and its impact on imaging referral. Analysis of imaging skills performance and imaging referral practices were compared to direct access frequency.
Only 42.0% of physical therapists practicing in states that allow imaging referral were aware of this privilege. Those practicing where imaging referral was allowed via state legislation were significantly more likely ( < 0.01) to be aware of this privilege (71.4%) compared to those granted by the state board (25.2%). Those aware of their imaging referral scope were more likely ( < 0.01) to practice imaging referral (44.5%) compared to those who were unaware (3.2%). Direct access frequency was positively associated with imaging skill performance and imaging referral practice ( < 0.01). Doctors of Physical Therapy, residency/fellowship-trained physical therapists, and board-certified physical therapists all reported practicing greater frequency of direct access ( < 0.01).
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: There is a striking lack of awareness of imaging privileges among physical therapists as influenced by the level of jurisdictional scope. These results suggest that the lack of awareness may have a dampening effect on diagnostic imaging referrals. The American Physical Therapy Association should consider engaging with state boards to raise imaging privilege awareness.
研究美国物理治疗师对影像转诊权限的认知和使用情况，以及其与直接就诊频率的关系。
本研究利用 2020-2021 年在美国收集的物理治疗师调查数据。受试者被问及其所在州的影像转诊管辖权。对回答的准确性进行分析，并将其与管辖权级别及其对影像转诊的影响进行比较。对影像技能表现和影像转诊实践进行分析，并与直接就诊频率进行比较。
仅 42.0%的在允许影像转诊的州执业的物理治疗师了解这一特权。通过州立法允许影像转诊的治疗师（ < 0.01）明显更有可能了解这一特权（71.4%），而由州委员会授予的则较少（25.2%）。那些了解自己影像转诊范围的人更有可能（ < 0.01）进行影像转诊（44.5%），而那些不知道的人则较少（3.2%）。直接就诊频率与影像技能表现和影像转诊实践呈正相关（ < 0.01）。物理治疗博士、住院医师/研究员培训的物理治疗师和 board-certified 物理治疗师均报告了更高频率的直接就诊（ < 0.01）。
讨论/结论：受管辖权范围的影响，物理治疗师对影像特权的认知程度存在明显不足。这些结果表明，缺乏意识可能会对诊断性影像转诊产生抑制作用。美国物理治疗协会应考虑与州委员会合作，提高对影像特权的认识。
