Campaign to let patients know they can see physical therapist without referral

Patients can now see a physical therapist without a physician reference, and the Kansas Physical Therapy Association wants to let people know about it.

The association started a campaign called Direct Access to inform Kansans about the benefits of physical therapy and about the 2013 state law that allows physical therapists to treat patients directly.

The Direct Access campaign will start in October, during National Physical Therapy Month, and run through December. The campaign consists mostly of social media promotion.

The Kansas Physical Therapy Association encourages patients to use physical therapy as an alternative to surgery or medicine.

Some areas treated by physical therapy include back, knee and joint pain; arthritis; obesity; osteoporosis; overuse injuries; stroke; and sprains, strains and fractures.

The association lists physical therapists on its website, kpta.com, under “Find a Physical Therapist.”

This story was originally published September 22, 2015 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Campaign to let patients know they can see physical therapist without referral."