PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Thomas Bodenheimer
AU  - Joseph Kucksdorf
AU  - Alyssa Torn
AU  - James Jerzak
TI  - Integrating Physical Therapists Into Primary Care Within A Large Health Care System
AID  - 10.3122/jabfm.2021.04.200432
DP  - 2021 Jul 01
TA  - The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
PG  - 866--870
VI  - 34
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/34/4/866.short
4100  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/34/4/866.full
SO  - J Am Board Fam Med2021 Jul 01; 34
AB  - Background: Bellin Health in Wisconsin has pioneered the colocation and integration of physical therapists into primary care pods.Methods: This is an observational study based on one in-person visit and several interviews.Results: For patients with musculoskeletal complaints, providers make warm handoffs to the physical therapist, who is a few steps away. The physical therapist performs most of the visit, providing diagnosis, treatment, and patient education. Research studies show that—compared with physician management—appropriate patients managed by physical therapists have better outcomes, lower costs, and higher patient satisfaction. In a fee-for-service environment, the business case for this innovation requires an increased number of follow-up referrals to the physical therapy department. In the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era, physical therapists can provide video visits with equal quality compared with in-person visits.Conclusion: The Bellin Health program is a blueprint for other primary care practices to integrate physical therapists into primary care teams.