Addressing Health Care Access Disparities Through a Public Health Approach to Physical Therapist Practice.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Rehabilitation Science
• Health Disparities

Background:

• The physical therapy profession must evolve to address public health needs.
• Current practice often focuses on individual care, necessitating a shift towards population-level interventions.
• Health disparities require innovative solutions within rehabilitation service delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a population health framework for physical therapist practice.
• To outline strategies for mitigating disease and disability at a population level.
• To leverage digital health advancements for broader impact and reduced health disparities.

Main Methods:

• Drawing from public health frameworks to guide practice evolution.
• Applying population health principles to rehabilitation service delivery.
• Exploring opportunities in digital and virtual health spaces for expanded reach.

Main Results:

• A framework for population-level physical therapist care delivery is proposed.
• Strategies focus on expanding access, decreasing costs, and improving care quality.
• The approach aims to address health disparities and improve overall health outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Physical therapists can play a crucial role in population health by adopting a public health approach.
• Innovation in service delivery is essential for promoting access and reducing disparities.
• Clinicians can implement these strategies to address health disparities in their practice.