This text guides patterns of practice; improves quality of care; promotes appropriate use of health care services; and explains physical therapist practice to insurers, policymakers, and other health care professionals. This edition continues to be a resource for both daily practice and professional education.

This edition includes an overview of both the profession and the clinical practice of physical therapy. Each chapter offers helpful learning tools, including a chapter outline, key terms, learning objectives, questions to ask, summaries, and review questions.

The Physical Therapist's Guide to Health Care is the simple, clear approach to understanding health care in today's changing environment. This book provides a strategy based approach to help physical therapists successfully manage change and meet the challenges of clinical practice in common practice settings. This essential text includes an introduction to health care that covers the basics of health care financing, health care reimbursement systems, cost containment strategies and referral services. Important issues covered in this book include trends in acute, subacute, home health care practice, outcomes management and prevention. Chapters include information on health care reimbursement systems and cost containment strategies, time and caseload management, documentation requirements, quality management in physical therapy, and the role of the physical therapist in prevention and wellness. Check out our new website dedicated to The Physical Therapist's Guide to Health Care. This innovative new website presents valuable up-to-date information as it becomes available. You can visit the site at ptguide.slackinc.com Dr. Kathleen A. Curtis is the winner of the “President’s Award of Excellence” for 2005 at California State University, Fresno

Written by a practicing physical therapist, this comprehensive textbook provides the conceptual framework necessary to understand every aspect of physical therapy and eventually perform physical therapy intervention. Includes a companion DVD that provides video coverage of more than fifty techniques discussed in the book.--From publisher description.

As the role of the physical therapist widens to include more primary care and diagnostic responsibilities, there is a greater need for a single, up-to-date resource that explores professional roles and developments in this changing field. This new book is the definitive reference on this important topic. This concise book provides information on every vital area important to professionalism: documentation, law and ethics, and leadership - all in the context of the five roles of the physical therapist as defined by the APTA's Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, 2nd Edition. Readers will find information on the history of professionalism in physical therapy, the five roles of the physical therapist (Patient/Client Manager, Consultant, Critical Inquirer, Educator, and Administrator), the role of the physical therapist in today's health care system, and professional leadership and development. Case studies, "how to lists" and "tips from the field" encourage critical thinking and provide strategies for various issues. The book also offers tips on preparing a portfolio, determining leadership style, and preparing a professional development plan based on the APTA's five roles. Develops and defines principles and concepts of professionalism to guide physical therapists in times of change Follows the APTA's Guide and includes quotes and information from this document throughout Offers a comprehensive history of physical therapy, with unique information on origins of the profession Offers comprehensive coverage of legal and ethical issues, showing how these issues affect the entire practice of physical therapy Discusses billing and reimbursement practices, with specific information on how to document and bill as an aspect of practice Defines and explains the role of the consultant, both as an autonomous health care provider or as a member of a health care team Features real-life case studies and discussion questions at the end of each chapter to encourage practical application of concepts and test readers' knowledge Provides end-of-chapter "tips" to help readers develop best practices

Health Sciences & Professions

- NEW! Updated content throughout the text reflects the current state of primary care and physical therapy practice. - NEW! New chapter on electrodiagnostic testing helps familiarize physical therapists with indications for electrodiagnostic testing and implications of test results to their clinical decision-making. - NEW! New chapter on patients with a history of trauma emphasizes the red flags that physical therapists need to recognize for timely patient referral for appropriate tests. - NEW! Updated information on how to screen and examine the healthy population enhances understanding of the foundations of practice and the role that physical therapists can fill in primary care models.