Role of Physiotherapists

The Physiotherapy Day was celebrated on 8^th September, serving as a reminder of its importance in the healthcare system. The medical professionals find a role of physiotherapists as very crucial in making a positive impact on the well being of people, and also as the backbone of the health services, however as a result of changes huge number of common masses still find themselves in a dilemma whether to refer themselves directly to physiotherapists, as first line treatment, without seeing consultation or opinion of any other medical doctors.

In the present era of social media, the common people come across a good number of videos wherein physiotherapists portray various physical remedies of different health issues, giving a sigh of relief to gullible people, who hardly can make a difference whether to directly approach it or on the advice of a medical doctor.

The physiotherapists have been fighting for a long to allow them prefix ‘Dr’ with their names, and many a time it was reminded that only three major systems of medicines in India - Allopathic, Ayurvedic, and Homoeopathy can practice medicine and have been allowed to prefix ‘Dr’ with their name; Apart from directions issued by Court from time to time, the Union Cabinet had approved the Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2018 for regulation and standardization of education and services provided by professionals in the healthcare sector; as per which there were 15 major professional categories including 53 professions in Allied and Healthcare Streams including Physiotherapy.

High demands of Physiotherapists in hospitals and clinics, sports fitness centers need to be underscored, where they work with clients recovering from surgeries, injuries, and other medical conditions, as such deserve to take pride in their work, given their four years of professional degree courses and expertise in the said field, and the role of Pharmacy, Nursing, Paramedics also need to be appreciated who also hold professional degrees in the relevant streams and as such play a very crucial role in health care services.

The Physiotherapists working in Government sectors though feel very elated, you would never come across a Physiotherapist prefixing ‘Dr’ with his/her name, probably because of the statutory binding, but confusion for a common man is apparent once he sees a sign board of a physiotherapist prefixing ‘Dr’ with his/her name in the private sectors; similar thing also found in the interviews by print and electronic media.

A friend physiotherapist in a lighter tone once told me that a common person after visiting his clinic, while leaving said “doctor saeb magar tohi nai dawaa lyokhwaee nae” (Doctor Sahab you have not prescribed any medicine?).

The need of the hour is to clear confusion among common masses, if Physiotherapists have been authorized to prefix ‘Dr’ with their names, they should be allowed, otherwise if strictly fall under the Union-Cabinet-approved Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2018, it is the responsibility of health authorities to conduct regular inspections and take corrective action, given that lacking of necessary medical expertise and portraying as first-line treatment without consulting a medical doctor can endanger the public health, as the common man has always been tangled by the quakes in search of solace for his well being.

By: M Shuaib Wani