Researchers: Paula Feder-Bubis¹, Nilly Waiserberg²

Background: Israel's National Health Insurance Law stipulates the Ministry of Health is responsible for medical services provision, including physical therapy (PT) services. However, the Special Education Law specifies PT services for children with motor disabilities are provided by the Ministry of Education within education settings. This poses questions about physiotherapists' professionalism and the nature of services they provide in non-medical settings.

Objectives: To examine practice and professionalism perceptions of physical therapy in non-medical settings.

Method: A mixed-methods research, including: a. In-depth interviews with policy makers, pediatric physiotherapists, educators and clinical partners; b. Focus-group discussions with parents and children with motor impairments; c. A survey: Professionalism in Physical Therapy: Core Values Self-Assessment-PPTCVSA.

Findings: Despite the clear regulation, policymakers expressed uncertainty about the PT services provided to children. Most PT occurs in educational settings, but physiotherapists who work in these settings face many challenges. Children with motor disabilities, their parents, and the physiotherapists, perceived PT as comprehensive, far beyond the “therapy-room”. Clinical partners discussed physiotherapists’ autonomy. The PPTCVSA survey showed that physiotherapists in the education system perceive themselves as highly professional, and significant differences were found between Arab physiotherapists who graduated abroad and graduates in Israeli institutions.

Conclusions: The provision of PT to children by several systems does not necessarily improve the service and its availability. The practice of a health profession in a non-medical arena affects the professionalism, the profession, and the service provided.

Recommendations: The establishment of an inter-ministerial coordinating body will allow the assessment of PT services provided in the various systems. The Ministry of Education should allow adequate, unique conditions for the professional development and professionalism of physiotherapists, in order to provide an appropriate service. Special attention is required for physiotherapists who graduated abroad, especially when their practice takes place in a non-medical setting.
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Research end date: 09/2020