Following testimony before the Ohio House Health Committee on Substitute House Bill (HB) 131 (physical therapists (PT) scope), Chairman Steve Huffman, MD, announced there would be no vote on HB131 at the hearing held on November 29. Ohio Academy of Family Physicians President Don Mack, MD, submitted written testimony in opposition to the HB 131 which was considered by the committee on November 29.
“Specific to the changes made in the substitute version of the bill, our concerns relate to patient safety as the imaging education and training of a physical therapist, even in a doctorate program, are not sufficient. Additionally, the continuing education option created by the PT licensing board and approved by the PT association, is unspecific as to scope and content. Therefore, there are no guarantees that the education programs would be robust enough to provide the appropriate level of training to order X-rays.
“We also feel strongly that any PT statute should retain language that clearly states that physical therapy does not include a medical diagnosis.
“If the major premise behind the bill is truly providing PTs with better opportunities to bill health insurers for physical therapy services, we are willing to work on that issue. We remain opposed, however, to substantially expanding the scope of physical therapists as the means for addressing billing issues.”
In-person opponent testimony was delivered by Richard Schilling, DPM,, a former president of the Ohio Foot & Ankle Medical Association. Written opponent testimony, including Dr. Mack’s testimony, was submitted by Monica Hueckel, director of the Ohio State Medical Association; Matthew Levy, MD, past president of the Academy of Medicine of Cleveland and Northern Ohio; Mark Baker, DO, president of the American Osteopathic Association; Sean Stiltner, DO, president of the Ohio Osteopathic Association; and Scott Weiner, MD, president of the Ohio Orthopedic Society.
Testimony in support of the bill was given by Tonya Apke, PT, DPT, OCS, president of the Ohio Physical Therapy Association (OPTA) and the director of clinical education for the PT program at The Ohio State University (OSU); and Rob Dunham, PT, DPT, a member of the executive board of the OPTA.