ONLY AVAILABLE ON CD
State of PA Approval #: PTCE000314; Date of course: 7/15/08-12/31/08; Number of credits: 30 (20 GEN, 10 DA)
NATA approved: #Q102-27

Applicable to all practice settings and specialty areas, this course will present the most essential responsibility of physical therapists, specifically, the recognition of co-morbid medical conditions. The making of a diagnosis depends on 3 major clinical indices: the subjective information obtained from the patient, the signs identified on physical examination, and the results obtained from laboratory tests. This course examines the relative value and importance of the subjective data obtained from the medical history as related to physical examination and laboratory investigations in the establishment of a diagnosis. The content knowledge and process skills necessary to enhance physical therapists' medical screening and clinical judgments regarding when to treat and when to refer their patients will be presented. Combined with physical therapists' existing knowledge and skills, this medical screening course will provide a more comprehensive evaluation scheme that will facilitate safe, effective, and efficient patient management within the context of a collaborative practice paradigm.

Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:

1. Identify the role and responsibility of diagnosis within physical therapy practice.
2. Apply medical screening techniques to traditional examination procedures that result in a comprehensive examination scheme for all patients/clients across the lifespan.
3. Recognize which features of the history and physical examination influence not only intervention strategies but also decisions about diagnostic imaging, pharmacology, laboratory testing, and specialist referral.
4. Differentiate normal from abnormal findings in the physical examination procedures.
5. Discuss signs and symptoms that necessitate immediate medical referral.
6. Differentiate medical conditions that contraindicate physical therapy intervention from medical conditions that are appropriate for physical therapy interventions.
7. Discuss and determine appropriate physical examination techniques and medical screening procedures for the head, neck, chest, upper quarter, thorax, abdomen, low back, and lower quarter.
8. Outline the major features of the following imaging modalities: plain film radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and bone scintigraphy.
9. Discuss pharmacology considerations in the management of patients with common musculoskeletal disorders.
10. Integrate imaging and pharmacological information into clinical decision-making for clients with musculoskeletal pathologies.
11. Define and differentiate "Direct Access" and "Primary Care."
12. Describe and discuss the physical therapist's role in Primary Care per the American Physical Therapy Association's Guide to Physical Therapist Practice.
13. Evaluate the importance of inter- and intra-professional collaboration and referral.
14. Review relevant literature that supports the role of physical therapists as primary contact practitioners.

• PRIMARY CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE Robert E. DuVall, PT, DHSc, MMSc, OCS, PCC, CSCS and David Greathouse, PT
• SIGNIFICANCE OF SUBJECTIVE EXAMINATION IN DIFFERNETIAL DIAGNOSITCS Robert E. DuVall, PT, DHSc, MMSc, OCS, FAAOMPT, MTC, PCC, CSCS and Joe Godges, PT, MA, OCS
• PHYSICAL EXAMINATION PROCEDURES TO SCREEN FOR SERIOUS DISORDERS OF THE LOW BACK AND LOWER QUARTER Mary Bailey, PT, MS, OCS, CHT
• PHYSICAL EXAMINATION PROCEDURES TO SCREEN FOR SERIOUS DISORDERS OF THE HEAD, NECK, CHEST AND UPPER QUARTER Edsen B. Donato, PT, DPTSc, BSRT, OCS, CHT
• IMAGING PRINCIPLES FOR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICAL THERAPY J. B. Barr, PT, DPT, OCS
• AUTONOMIC PHARMACOLOGY: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST Cathy Paterson, PhD; Becky Kern, PT, MS, OCS; and Jack Kern, PharmD