By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
State Rep. Brenda Shields of St. Joseph wants to make it easier to get physical therapy.
Shields says her top piece of legislation this year would cut the regulations associated with receiving physical therapy.
“I am really working on open access for our physical therapists so individuals can go see a physical therapist without having to have a written order from a doctor,” Shields tells the Missourinet in an interview. “Many times you know that you’ve twisted your ankle, you need some help that a physical therapist (can provide). You have to wait for that doctor’s appointment until the doctor can see you and then they prescribe physical therapy.”
Under Shields’ bill, a person could seek up to 10 visits or three weeks to a physical therapist without a doctor’s referral. The physical therapist would be required to report to the primary care doctor about care. If improvement is evident, the physical therapy could continue. If not, the patient would have to see a doctor.
Shields says this legislation would follow up previous bills she has sponsored.
“I’ve had a lot of physical therapy in my life and I’m very passionate,” Shields says. “Two years ago, I passed the occupational therapy compact which allows occupational therapists to work across state lines.”
Shields says often there is no need to see a physician to be prescribe physical therapy.
“Because all we want to do is be well,” Shields says. “We just want to be able to get back to our life and if we’ve sprained our ankle, twisted our back, thrown out our shoulder that a physical therapist can help us with, that allows us to quickly be able to return to the life we once had.”
The legislative session in Jefferson City is just now underway.