MSDC Emphasizes Patient Safety and Quality in Scope of Practice Hearings

Bills aimed at licensing/regulating two non-physician health professions drew strong responses from the Medical Society at a June 8 hearing of the DC Council Committee on Health, chaired by Councilmember David Catania (I-At-Large). 

The Medical Society voiced strong opposition to a "scope of practice" bill which would allow patients direct access to physical therapists, eliminating the current requirement that a patient have a referral before seeking PT services.  Testifying on behalf of the Medical Society, orthopedist James Cobey, MD, noted that while physical therapists play an important role in the health care team, the proper diagnosis of a patient's condition by a physician is essential before the initiation of physical therapy.  Dr. Cobey noted circumstances in which an injury could appear at first to be minor but in fact is serious and if not treated properly at the outset, could result in permanent disability.  He also noted that direct access to physical therapists could increase health care costs if patients undergo weeks of costly physical therapy that is either ineffective or even harmful before seeing a physician. Council Health Committee Chair Catania invited the Medical Society to supply additional clinical data on the subject over the Council's summer recess so that the Committee could review it prior to a first vote by the full Council this fall.  The Medical Society will continue to work with local orthopedic surgeons and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery on this effort.

Regarding a much more benign bill, the Medical Society testified in strong support of  the "Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Amendment Act of 2005," noting that the bill represented "a positive step toward ensuring that patients receive quality health care services by health care professionals who are sufficiently trained and licensed to provide such services."   However, MSDC and others urged that the Committee add language to the bill that would place at least two otolaryngologists on the proposed Board of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology. The amendment was accepted by the Health Committee and included in the version of the bill that will be sent to the full Council for a vote this fall.   The Medical Society's advocacy efforts regarding the bill were coordinated with Scott McNamara, MD, Legislative Representative for the Metro DC Society of Head and Neck Surgery; the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery; and Frederick Finelli, MD, JD, chairman of the DC Board of Medicine.