SLU PT Students Promote Direct Access During Annual Lobby Day

SLU PT Students Promote Direct Access During Annual Lobby Day
By Jamie Brew (SLU DPT Class of 2020)

MPTA Lobby Day is an annual event in which members of the Physical Therapy and Physical Therapy Assistant communities come together to advocate for our profession. This year, we discussed two main propositions: HB410 and the Anti-POPTS. HB410 is the Direct Access bill for Physical Therapy in the state of Missouri. With this bill, Physical Therapists hope to treat patients without a referral from a physician, which will provide a more efficient way for patients to access our care, as well as utilize our education in differential diagnosis.

Our Anti-POPTS discussion was regarding a current law in which physicians cannot own physical therapy clinics. POPTS are currently illegal, which helps to lower the amount of unnecessary visits a patient is seen. There is talk that the physicians would like to appeal this law, so our main agenda was to inform representatives of this possible movement and to advocate for why Physician Owned Physical Therapy Services should remain illegal.

This year, Jamie Brew (PY2, MSSIG Vice Chair), Caroline Lipic (PYI, Core Ambassador), Brandon Moseley (PYI, MSSIG Representative) and Lauren Stollman (PYI) attended MPTA Lobby Day. They joined other students and therapists to speak with multiple representatives to advocate for our profession at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City.

This is one of several posts featuring SLU PT Student experiences. Many students choose to be involved in physical therapy professional organizations and advocate for the profession. For more information about Saint Louis University's Program in Physical Therapy, please visit: https://www.slu.edu/doisy/degrees/undergraduate/physical-therapy.php.

Photos submitted by Jaime Brew, SPT.