Clinical Decision Making in Physical Therapy: A Practitioner's Perspective

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Abstract
The purposes of this presentation are to describe and categorize the diverse clinical decisions currently made by physical therapists and to discuss the factors influencing those decisions. My views on the subject of clinical decision making are deeply rooted in the soils and toils of clinical practice and are not influenced by the mathematical and statistical models of decision making (eg, medical decision analysis). I have spent almost every day of my 38 years of professional life involved in direct care of patients. This experience has allowed me to participate in and be a witness to the expanding role of the physical therapist in clinical decision making. The expansion of practice into more independent modes presents numerous challenges. A substantial challenge, for example, will be to successfully educate current and future generations of practitioners in the methods and intricacies of clinical decision making.

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