The Role of PTA's in APTA Governance

When I started this blog I chose the name PTA Professionals.  There has been some debate in years past about whether or not PTA's are considered professionals.  Merriam-Webster online defines a professional as "characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession", or "exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace".  PTA's are held to high ethical standards, (see "Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant") and have also  participated in APTA governance activities for many years at the district (local) level, the chapter (state) level, and also at the national level within the PTA Caucus and the APTA House of Delegates (HOD).

This year's APTA HOD will convene June 24-26 in Salt Lake City, UT.   The HOD is the policy making body of the APTA and is comprised of delegates  from each chapter, section, and the PTA Caucus (5  delegates).  The PTA Caucus consists of one PTA representative from each chapter and meets annually prior to the HOD, this year on June 22.  PTA's may not serve as chapter delegates, and PTA Caucus delegates and section delegates are not actually voting members of HOD, although they are permitted to submit motions, participate in debate of motions, and propose amendments.  Your chapter PTA Caucus Delegate and PT Delegates are your link to the APTA HOD.  I encourage you to get to know your delegates and give them your input on upcoming 2013 HOD motions.

This year for the first time ever, APTA members will be able to view the HOD via livestream on the APTA website.  This is a great opportunity for those who have never attended the House in person to experience association governance first hand.  Prior to attending the HOD as the PTA Caucus Representative for Texas, I did not fully appreciate the importance of the work of the HOD.  I applaud APTA for utilizing the available technology.  The HOD is where physical therapy policy begins.  Keep in mind that certain parts of the House can be very tedious.  But a little patience will reveal the great diversity of opinion that exists across the country in our profession.  

Listed below are just a few important APTA policies and guidelines pertaining to PTA's.  They were created by the APTA HOD, and the PTA Caucus played a key role in their development.  You can read them in detail by visiting the PTA page of the APTA website. 

-Minimum required skills of physical therapist assistant graduates at entry level

-Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant

-PT/PTA Teamwork: Models in Delivering Patient Care

-Procedural Interventions Exclusively Performed by Physical Therapists

I would also like to draw your attention to a pending policy RC 2-12, and its predecessor, RC 3-11 related to utilization of PTA's and other "extenders" of care, i.e. non-licensed personnel.  Just in case you think being an APTA member isn't important, this proposed amendment should convince you otherwise.  In my opinion, these motions propose some potentially critical policy changes affecting the role of PTA's.  This year the HOD is scheduled to receive an interim report on RC 2-12, with the final report and follow up motions to be heard in 2014.

A summary of RC 3-11 can be found here.

source: http://tinyurl.com/mhjl3rj
Information on RC 2-12 Amend: Physical Therapist Responsibility and Accountability for the Delivery of Care, Resolved Paragraph and Proviso

The following is excerpted from the 2012 House of Delegates Minutes and provides the final language for RC 2-12, which was passed at the 2012 House of Delegates. RC 2-12 contains both a position and a charge. As seen in the proviso below, the “position will become effective upon implementation of the necessary initiatives in education, practice, payment, regulation, and research, and adoption of requisite APTA positions, standards, guidelines, policies, and procedures….” The steps to these necessary initiatives are outlined in the charge. Due to the proviso, the position will not be posted as an APTA position on the Policies and Bylaws webpage until it becomes effective.

For complete text on RC 2-12, visit the 2012 House of Delegates Minutes in the House of Delegates community’s Archive folder.

Excerpted from 2012 House of Delegates Minutes:

RC 2-12 AMEND: PHYSICAL THERAPIST RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE DELIVERY OF CARE, RESOLVED PARAGRAPH AND PROVISO – REPLACEMENT PACKET II

Required for Adoption: Majority Vote

*FINAL - PASSED June 5, Pages 165-331

V-8 PHYSICAL THERAPIST RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE DELIVERY OF CARE

Whereas, The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Vision Statement for Physical Therapy 2020 (Vision 2020) recognizes physical therapists as practitioners characterized by independent, self-determined professional judgment and action; and recognizes that physical therapists have the capability, ability, and responsibility to exercise professional judgment within their scope of practice and to professionally act on that judgment;

Whereas, Current APTA positions, standards, guidelines, policies, and procedures specify the use of specific personnel rather than recognizing the responsibility and accountability that accompany the independent judgment of contemporary physical therapist practice, which is characterized by the autonomous professional;

Whereas, To best meet the needs of the patient/client, it is necessary for physical therapists to maximize the ability to respond to the changes resulting from passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including emerging models of care delivery and expanding numbers of insured consumers seeking care, thereby providing opportunities for physical therapist leadership; and,

Whereas, APTA Standards of Practice for Physical Therapy state that the physical therapist is responsible for the direction of physical therapy service, complies with all legal requirements of jurisdictions regulating the practice of physical therapy, involves appropriate others in the planning, implementation and assessment of the plan of care, and provides or directs and supervises the physical therapy intervention;

Resolved, That the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) recognizes that physical therapy is provided by, or under the direction and supervision of, a physical therapist. Evaluation remains the complete responsibility of the physical therapist.

Proviso to the Resolved Clause: This position will become effective upon implementation of necessary initiatives in education, practice, payment, regulation, and research, and adoption of requisite APTA positions, standards, guidelines, policies and procedures. Annual interim reports will be provided to the House of Delegates beginning in 2013.

That the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) explore practice models that are responsive to the needs of society and adaptable to our changing health care environment.

Steps toward the adoption of any practice models shall include:

-determination of changes needed, including: scope, feasibility, timing, and other resources required to adopt any and all new models;

-amendment of requisite APTA positions, standards, guidelines, policies and procedures;

-an interim report to the 2013 House of Delegates and a final report no later than the 2014 House of Delegates;

-approval of any model by the House of Delegates.

*A counted vote via Audience Response System was used to determine the outcome of this motion; the final vote tally was as follows: 351 in favor of adoption - 46 opposed to adoption.

*As requested by the House, the secretary of the APTA Board of Directors has agreed to separate the resolution from the charge.

[Contact: nationalgovernance@apta.org | Last Updated: 08/29/12]