by Greg McCall, PT, OCS, COMT
President
APTA/Colorado Chapter

You have been hearing it for several years now: "PT is Rising!" And indeed our profession is rising and continues to do so.

Public awareness of physical therapy and the PT profession in Colorado is at an all time high and that is because PTs have been taking the lead in promoting that awareness.

And how have they been doing it? Let me tell you some of the ways.

Hundreds of PTs and PTAs have participated in the annual Chapter sponsored-and-coordinated Channel 9Health Fair, providing screening and one-on-one contact with thousands of Coloradans across the state. That event is coming up again in April and we will want to have as strong a presence as ever!

  The Private Practice SIG coordinated and promoted the APTA's October PT Month. Dozens of practices provided free evaluation clinics around the 15th of the month and proclamations were obtained from the Governor and many mayors and local elected officials around the state. The Colorado Avalanche offered a special promotion and high level publicity for the Chapter opening the door for similar events in the future.  Thousands again had favorable exposure to the value of PT and the profession to the state and the community.

Strong legislative liaison was created with the Colorado legislature by dozens of APTA members who spoke one-on-one with their representatives at all levels during the annual legislative breakfast. This led to public testimony and grass roots lobbying by members on key legislative issues.

The Chapter's formation of a Reimbursement Committee, aimed at promoting relationships with 3rd party payors, has brought about new awareness by those who write the checks for services.

The development of special membership pages within our web site has resulted in a greater understanding of PT issues among our own body of PTs. The website, incidentally, now attracts more than 200 visits each day by members and the public alike.

Our continued advocacy and protection of the PT Practice Act through committee volunteers and staff has made it clear: PTs are professionals and will defend our professional status before regulatory agencies and the legislature. In addition, our attendance at Workers Compensation hearings has ensured our voice as individual professionals as well as elevating our status and visibility in that community.

New graduates are coming out of both PT schools, CU and Regis, with their DPTs and both schools have successful DPT programs.

We see a lot more involvement by students from our PT and PTA programs: student volunteers at Chapter events, student participants at Chapter events, and student activities aimed at promoting visibility and awareness of the role and value of physical therapy in a healthy society.

The key to all of this has been a highly proactive leadership on the part of those who have been active in the Chapter over the years and the new volunteers they have trained and nurtured. The more PTs, PTAs and students we bring into the ranks of professional "torch bearers" and the more we mentor them into leadership positions, the higher we will rise.

I am proud to say your Chapter is committed to reaching new levels, to bringing about more contacts, and to training and mentoring more leaders to carry the torch. Won't you join us?

Greg McCall
Email: grrmack@aol.com

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