The rising cost of healthcare is consistently a top concern for New York consumers, businesses and payers alike. In a time of rising inflation and economic uncertainty, trying to create better healthcare outcomes in the most cost-effective way possible is more important than ever.
One cost effective and time saving strategy is seeing a Physical Therapist. These licensed professionals play a critical role in preventing or improving chronic conditions, managing pain, avoiding surgery, minimizing the use of prescription drugs, and recovering from and preventing injuries.
Early access to physical therapy through direct access is hugely beneficial from a cost-saving and health perspective. Direct access allows patients in New York to see a Physical Therapist early in the treatment process, without a doctor’s referral. Seeing a Physical Therapist is the best first option for many symptoms and conditions a patient might experience. Seeing a Physical Therapist first through direct access can save thousands in medical expenses.
Regrettably, not enough people are receiving physical therapy. According to a 2018 study that evaluated the impact of physical therapy on health care utilization and costs among people in New York State with acute lower back pain (LBP), only 6,668 of nearly 47,000 patients even received physical therapy. The study found that patients receiving physical therapy within three days of onset of pain were consistently associated with the lowest health care utilization and cost measures. Older studies have found that early use of physical therapy can save thousands per patient, per episode.
Additionally, data from the insurance industry suggests that when individuals utilize physical therapy for low back pain as their entry point into the healthcare system, patients were 75 to 90 percent less likely to receive a prescription opioid pain medication.
Unfortunately, in New York, there are barriers to accessing physical therapy. There is currently a lack of awareness about the access to treatment without a referral. Presently, direct access is limited to 10 visits or 30 days whichever comes first, which can lead to an interruption of patient care. Lifting this limitation makes sense, as physical therapists are currently educated at the doctoral level with the ability to evaluate and refer patients as necessary.
New York State Senator Tim Kennedy is sponsoring legislation in Albany supported by the American Physical Therapy Association and APTA New York to remove these barriers to accessing care. Senator Kennedy, an occupational therapist by trade, has been tireless in his efforts to ensure patients have access to healthcare that is right for their particular medical needs. With quicker access to physical therapy, the odds of having a better health outcome increase exponentially. Let’s remove barriers to treatment and get people moving again.
Michael Tisbe, PT, DPT
President, APTA New York
