The Role of the Physical Therapist in Pandemic Response

Physical therapists (PTs) are an integral component of healthcare teams in a variety of settings (e.g., emergency departments, acute care settings, home health care, and outpatient settings). In hospitals (i.e., acute care and/or inpatient rehabilitation), they may help develop treatment plans, teach patients how to use exercise techniques, and provide hands-on manual therapy to help with healing and improve function. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the way PTs were able to provide care, while the number of patients who needed both inpatient and outpatient physical therapy increased. ASPR TRACIE met with Lindsay Harmon-Matthews, PT, DPT, MPH, J.J. Kuczynski, PT, DPT, OCS, Anthony Ganim, PT, MPT, MBA, and Michael Martin, PT, MPT (The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and other affiliations) to learn more about their experiences caring for COVID-19 patients during and after hospitalization.