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3,4 However, no discussion of objective outcome measures are found within these documents, and notably, only the opinions of 13 APTA Board members are given to support the change. In fairness, the APTA did provide some rationale supporting the need for a transition to a new vision and made the process of the transition to a new vision as transparent as possible through posting numerous documents that led to the production of the new vision. To our knowledge, such information has never been distributed to the profession. At a minimum, the APTA should publish the instruments and/or outcome measures used to demonstrate quantifiably the achievement of the original 6 goals. This begs the question, why? Was the 2013 vision statement created because the 6 goals in Vision 2020 were already achieved? If so, the APTA should publicly acknowledge how each goal was accomplished. Yet, the original Vision 2020 statement seems abandoned as we moved on to what presents as an alternative set of goals with the introduction of the new vision. Importantly, I am not being critical of either vision statement in fact, I find merit and importance in the meaning and guiding principles of both.ĭuring the release of the new vision statement in 2013, the APTA stated, “the values of Vision 2020 remain significant to the successful fulfillment of the new vision.” 2 However, if we hold this statement true, then the success of the new vision is dependent upon the successful fulfillment of the old one.
#Apta 2020 vision update
In other words, the new vision does not appear to be a continuation and/or update of the previous vision but rather more of a new line of thought and direction. healthcare system, making direct connections between the two visions is difficult.
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While both statements attempt to predict how the physical therapy profession will fit within the broader U.S. 1 However, the new “Vision Statement for the Physical Therapy Profession” simply reads, “Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.” 2 Notably, the replacement vision has 8 guiding principles including: identity, quality, collaboration, value, innovation, consumer-centricity, access/equity, and advocacy. The original Vision 2020 statement had 6 guiding principles: autonomous physical therapist practice, direct access, doctor of physical therapy and lifelong education, evidence based practice, practitioner of choice, and professionalism. “By 2020, physical therapy will be provided by physical therapists who are doctors of physical therapy, recognized by consumers and other health care professionals as the practitioners of choice to whom consumers have direct access for the diagnosis of, interventions for, and prevention of impairments, activity limitations, participation restrictions, and environmental barriers related to movement, function, and health.” 1 The original Vision 2020 statement reads:
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The APTA replaced the 2020 statement with a new vision statement, which was adopted and approved in 2013. In 2013, the APTA removed the original Vision 2020 statement from that was first approved and released in 2000.
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