Columbus DO Testifies at Ohio House of Representatives

Profession Opposes Scope of Practice Bill

(June 22, 2017) Jason P. Dapore, DO, of Columbus, testified on behalf of the Ohio Osteopathic Association (OOA) in the Ohio House of Representatives Health and Aging Committee, June 21, to oppose HB 131.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green), expands the scope of practice of physical therapists to order tests and diagnose physical disabilities.The bill modifies the activities that may be performed by a physical therapist as described in the physical therapist licensing law. Currently, the practice of physical therapy is described generally as the evaluation and treatment of a person by physical measures and the use of therapeutic exercises and rehabilitative procedures, with or without assistive devices, for the purpose of preventing, correcting, or alleviating any disability.

Gavarone said her proposal would reduce patient costs and the time to diagnosis, noting that her son was misdiagnosed by a physician and a physical therapist realized  additional imaging was needed to determine proper treatment.

Dapore said there is no lack of testing in the health care field, noting that there is a national effort to reduce the number of imaging tests because of potential side effects of high amounts of radiation as well as the cost to the health care system. "Allowing physical therapists to independently order tests is going counter to national trends and guidelines," he said.

Dapore, who works in the complex field of sports medicine, also reviewed the education that osteopathic physicians receive. He said the profession supports a team approach to medical care because the physician-led medical model ensures the professionals with complete medical education and training are adequately involved in patient care.

"While we value the contributions of PTs to the health care delivery system," he said "we believe any expansion of their authority to provide services to patients requires appropriate physician oversight and additional education, training, and competency demonstration requirements."

 Read Dr. Dapore's testimony.