APTA Hawaii 2025 House of Delegates

Your Hawaii delegation Drs. Douglas White and Dang Ngo had a very successful year at the 2025 House of delegates in Washington DC. Below is the disposition of each one of the motions. Additionally, we received a commitment from the Board of Directors to increase member education in the full range of CPT codes available for DPT practice.

ADOPTED: RC 25-25 AMEND: AUTONOMOUS PHYSICAL THERAPIST PRACTICE

That Autonomous Physical Therapist Practice (HOD P06-06-18-12) be amended by addition.

***Underlined is new language***

PHYSICAL THERAPY AS A SELF-DETERMINED PROFESSION AND AUTONOMOUS PHYSICAL THERAPIST PRACTICE

The profession of physical therapy is a distinct and self-determined profession. It is not an “allied health” or “ancillary” profession.

 As part of a self-determined profession, Physical therapists have the responsibility to practice autonomously in all settings, practice environments, and employment relationships.

Autonomous physical therapist practice is characterized by:

  • Independent, self-determined professional judgment within one’s scope of practice, consistent with the profession’s Codes and Standards and in the patient’s-client’s best interest
  • Responsibility and acceptance of risk for all aspects of the physical therapist patient-client management
  • Ability to refer to and collaborate with health care providers and others to enhance the physical therapist patient-client management
  • Recognition of circumstances that necessitate a request for consultation and initiation of such consultation when in the best interest of the patient-client
  • Clinical decision-making that is independent of external financial considerations
  • Physical therapist governance and control of physical therapy practice in all settings

DEFEATED: RC 28-25 RECOMMEND: CURRENT PROCEDURAL TERMINOLOGY EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT CODES

That the following be adopted:

That the American Physical Therapy Association advocate for the use and payment of current procedural terminology CPT evaluation and management codes by physical therapists in place of existing PT evaluation codes.

ADOPTED: RC 30-25 AMEND: DIAGNOSIS BY PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

That Diagnosis by Physical Therapists (HOD P06-12-10-09) be amended by substitution.

DIAGNOSIS BY PHYSICAL THERAPISTS Physical therapists shall establish a diagnosis1 for each patient or client.

A diagnosis1 is a label identifying the nature and cause of injury or disease.2 It is the decision reached as a result of the diagnostic process, which is the evaluation of information obtained from the patient or client history and physical examination and other available information. The purpose of the diagnosis is to guide the physical therapist in determining the most appropriate management for each patient or client. When indicated, physical therapists order appropriate diagnostic tests/studies, including but not limited to imaging and laboratory tests, and other studies. , that are performed and interpreted by other health professionals. Physical therapists may also perform or interpret selected imaging or other tests/studies. Reference List: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/sources-definitions/diagnosis.htm, https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/disease

ADOPTED: RC 32-25 AMEND: PHARMACOLOGY IN PHYSICAL THERAPIST PRACTICE

That Pharmacology in Physical Therapist Practice (HOD P06-18-34-39) be amended by substitution.

PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS AND SUPPLEMENTS IN PHYSICAL THERAPIST PRACTICE

Physical therapist management may prevent the need for, or reduce the use of, medications. Physical therapist management includes counseling patients and clients on the need for, and the benefits and risks of, medication, and supplements. Physical therapists may recommend over-the-counter medications and supplements. Where permitted by law/regulation, physical therapists may prescribe, store, and administer medication to optimize patient and client management and health. For those patients and clients who use medications, physical therapists reconcile, monitor for therapeutic benefit, adverse reactions, side effects, and the need for medication. A physical therapist team-based approach involves consulting with other medication-prescribing practitioners when indicated to optimize the therapeutic benefit of medication.

ADOPTED: RC 40-25 ADOPT: IMPROVING PAYMENT FOR PHYSICAL THERAPIST SERVICES

Proposed by: Private Practice and Hawaii

IMPROVING PAYMENT FOR PHYSICAL THERAPIST SERVICES

Securing better payment for physical therapist services is APTA’s top priority. Fair and sustainable payment is essential to advance the physical therapy profession, support clinicians across all practice settings, and ensure access to high quality care that meets the evolving health and wellness needs of society.

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Hawaii 2025 Delegation Report