Outpatient views on direct access to physical therapy in Indiana

The purpose of this study was to determine the opinions of outpatients receiving physical therapy in Indiana about physical therapy evaluation and treatment without referral (direct access). Subjects were 361 individuals being treated at one of 25 privately owned clinics. Each subject completed a 15-item questionnaire. Results showed that 82.8% of the respondents supported direct access to physical therapy. A majority indicated they would seek physical therapy services without referral if they were available. Physical therapists were cited as frequently as all other health care professionals combined as the practitioners providing the most thorough evaluation. Physical therapists were cited far more often than other health care professionals combined as the practitioners providing the best information about the control of symptoms. Subjects who had received more treatments than others were significantly more likely to support direct access (p less than .05). Conclusions were that individuals who have received physical therapy at private outpatient physical therapy clinics in Indiana are supportive of direct access to physical therapy services.