Physiatrics at the forefront: physical medicine and rehabilitation in the 1990s

Physiatry, a specialty title derived from the word "physical," is the second-fastest-growing medical specialty in the United States. The interdisciplinary team-management system is the key to the success of physiatric services. The goal is to maximize functional outcome for physically challenged patients who have any of a broad scope of disorders causing disabilities or pain. Rehabilitation of these patients is cost-effective and provides improved quality of life for those treated. The job of the four excellent Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) training programs in Texas is to educate young physicians with knowledge regarding medicine, general science, electrodiagnostics, and allied health-care science. Young physiatrists may gravitate towards various subspecialties in the field or choose to provide a variety of services to assist other physicians in the management of patients over a prolonged period. In the age of managed competition, costs versus access, and quality-of-care issues, physiatrists must educate physicians, the public, legislators, and insurance carriers (federal, state, workers' compensation, and third-party) as to why rehabilitation should be included in any and every health-care plan.