It's Your Right to Access Physical Therapists Directly in Texas

Did you know that current law in Texas prohibits you from directly accessing your physical therapist for treatment?

Patient Access to Physical Therapy Bills Filed - SB 402 & HB 1039

Texas consumers seeking alternatives to prescription medication and surgery are choosing physical therapy for the prevention and treatment of conditions affecting movement and function, only to find arbitrary, unnecessary, and costly access barriers.

Currently in Texas, you may go directly to a chiropractor, podiatrist, massage therapist, acupuncturist and even a personal trainer for treatment, but to go to physical therapy directly, you must obtain a referral for treatment. Referrals may come from physicians, dentists, chiropractors, podiatrists, physician assistants, and advanced nurse practitioners. A physical therapist can determine if a patient's problem is within a PT’s scope of practice just as well as a MD, PA, or NP. All PT schools in the state of Texas now culminate in a Doctorate of Physical Therapy.

Starbucks study of Patient Access puts Baristas back to work in 1/7 the time and cuts bills in half. "Once the inefficiencies were mapped out on paper, the solution was clear to everyone... Put the physical therapy in front."

The average patient in Dallas and Houston waits roughly 20 days to see a primary care physician. ¹

Currently in Texas, physicians, dentists, chiropractors, podiatrists, physician assistants, and advanced nurse practitioners of all types (midwives, clinical specialists, FNPs) are all allowed to determine if a patient needs physical therapy.  Thus, the legislature has already determined that physician training is not needed to determine if physical therapy is appropriate for a patient.  Physical therapists are at least as qualified, if not more, than the other professions listed to determine if a patient's condition lies within their scope. The move to post-baccalaureate for physical therapists started more than 10 years ago, and today all 12 Texas PT programs culminate in a doctorate of physical therapy degree (DPT).

It is time to allow Texans direct access to physical therapists so they can benefit from the real cost savings associated with conservative management of movement and function-related conditions.