Private physical therapy practice implementation of direct referral for radiograph imaging: an administrative case report.

Background: Prior research indicates physical therapists make appropriate, judicious diagnostic imaging referrals, but have not described how to implement imaging referral processes in organizations without an imaging department.

Objective: This administrative case report describes the implementation of a direct referral process for radiographic imaging in a private physical therapy practice.

Case Description: Guided by the Interactive Systems Framework, a collaborative business agreement between a physical therapist-owned practice, musculoskeletal urgent care clinic, and radiology practice provided a clinical process for physical therapists to directly refer patients for radiographic imaging.

Effective therapeutic exercise prescription: the right exercise at the right dose.

The prescription of an effective therapeutic exercise program requires the right dosage of the right exercise, at the right time for that patient. The therapist must understand and apply training principles effectively in the presence of pathology, injury, or otherwise unhealthy tissue. The intervention goal is to close the gap between current performance and the desired goal or capacity.