A recent publication by Professor Erik Cattrysse of the Experimental Anatomy research group at the Free University of Brussels and colleagues, highlights the benefits of direct access to physical therapy. The study, based on a scoping review of international literature, suggests that direct access to physical therapists offers benefits not only to patients but also to the broader health care system.
"In Belgium, physical therapy is currently only accessible through a referral from a general practitioner or specialist. This is in contrast to many other countries, such as the Netherlands, where the so-called Directe Toegankelijkheid Physiotherapie has been in place for years. ...