Thomas Bodenheimer, MD, MPH; Joseph Kucksdorf, DPT, OCS; Alyssa Torn, DPT, OCS; James Jerzak, MD
Corresponding Author: Thomas Bodenheimer, MD, MPH; University of California, San Francisco. Email: tombodie3@gmail.com
Section: Family Medicine & The Health Care System
Publication Date: July 23, 2021
Most primary care practices have insufficient capacity to meet patient demand. Physical therapists working on primary care teams can add capacity to see more patients without increasing primary care provider burnout. Bellin Health in Wisconsin has pioneered the co-location and integration of physical therapists into primary care pods. 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. The integration program is popular among physicians, patients, and physical therapists themselves. 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 COVID-19 era, physical therapists can provide telehealth care via video visits with equal quality compared with in-person visits. The Bellin Health program is a blueprint for other primary care practices to integrate physical therapists into primary care teams.