Job outlook for physical therapist assistants in the United States

How do you envision technology impacting Physical Therapist Assistants in the next 5 years?

Anita Bemis-Dougherty PT, DPT: We anticipate physical therapists will continue to offer patients the option of telehealth appointments long after the pandemic is over. Telehealth was an option pre-COVID, but its use has grown exponentially since March. During a telehealth appointment, a physical therapist can take a patient history, examine an individual's movement and make recommendations for a plan of care or modifications to the plan of care, which may include individualized exercises. A physical therapist (or physical therapist assistant, under the supervision of the PT) can also observe how patients interact in their environment and provide education to caregivers. An e-visit is different than a telehealth appointment. An e-visit is a discussion around a clinical decision that would otherwise be given in an office setting. In addition to e-visits, many payers, including Medicare, permit physical therapists to provide and bill for virtual check-ins, remote evaluation of video/images, and telephone assessment and management services. CMS has proposed to permanently allow PTs to furnish and bill e-visits, virtual check-in, and remote evaluation of prerecorded image and/or video beginning Jan. 1, 2021. For information, . visit APTA's Telehealth webpage