Document Type

Thesis

Title

Effects of Managed Care on the Professional Autonomy of Board Certified Physical Therapy Specialist's Practice

Authors

Cami Diezel, Nova Southeastern University

Degree Name

Master of Physical Therapy (MPT)

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Department

College of Health Care Sciences - Physical Therapy Department

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1998

Publisher

Nova Southeastern University

NSUWorks Citation

Cami Diezel. 1998. Effects of Managed Care on the Professional Autonomy of Board Certified Physical Therapy Specialist's Practice. Master's thesis. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, College of Health Care Sciences - Physical Therapy Department. (109)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hpd_pt_stuetd/109.

Abstract

Purpose: Identify perceptions of professional autonomy of Board Certified Physical Therapy Specialists (BCPTS) who practiced in managed care environments.

Guiding questions: Do BCPTS perceive an increase in professional autonomy as a specialist than as a generalist? How do the perceptions of professional autonomy vary among each specialization? What variables affect perceptions of professional autonomy among BCPTS?

Method: Two-hundred BCPTS throughout the country were randomly chosen as participants. One-hundred-eight respondents were used as subjects.

Data analysis: Frequency distributions and Pearson's correlation coefficient statistic were utilized.

Results: Majority of respondents reported no increase in professional autonomy as a specialist. Greater than three-quarters of the respondents reported a decrease in professional autonomy such as "clinical decisions were overriden by decisions of insurance companies". Correlational analysis revealed that "percent of patients covered by managed care insurance" had a major influence upon how respondents practiced and perceived their professional autonomy.

Conclusion: While there were reported differences in perceptions of professional autonomy among each specialization, there was an overall perceived decrease of professional autonomy due to managed care.

Disciplines

Physical Therapy