Physical therapy clinic allows ‘direct access’ to Airmen

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Robert L. McIlrath
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  

The Air Force Medical Operations Agency has recently directed all Air Force military treatment facilities to establish “direct access” physical therapy clinics for active-duty service members.

 

In November 2014, the 82nd Medical Group physical therapy clinic at Sheppard decided not to wait for AFMOA to tell them to do it.

 

“About six months before AFMOA came out with a directive that it would be implemented, we said let’s do it as a team and get in front of this,” said Lt. Col. Jeremy Skabelund, 82nd Medical Operations Squadron physical medicine flight commander. “We had the professional ability, the credentials already in place and the manning to allow direct access to go forward.”

 

Without direct access, Airmen with a musculoskeletal injuries, such a low back strain, knee sprain or rolled ankle, would initially seek care from a family practice or flight medicine provider and would then be referred to a physical therapy clinic.

 

If an Airman injures themselves, they can walk in to physical therapy to be seen either immediately or get an appointment scheduled depending on the injury timeline.

 

“So if they’ve had an acute injury, which we see more than anything else, they can be seen quicker by us instead of having to go somewhere else and wait to get a referral,” said Dr. Mark Worley, physical therapist. “It makes the time from injury to recovery much quicker this way.”

 

According to Skabelund, the first 72 hours after an injury are often the most crucial to begin the process for musculoskeletal pain relief. The most common injuries seen are ankle sprains, lumbar strains and a variety of shoulder injuries. In contrast, MTF’s are applying some of the same procedures used down range.

 

“In a deployed environment, direct access is often the norm,” said Skabelund. “It’s a good opportunity for service members to get seen sooner so we can take care of their needs and return them to full duty.”

 

With quicker access for treatment, physical therapists can provide tailored treatments for patients.

 

“There is a priority here,” Skabelund said. “We have acute direct access, which means you’re going to be seen the same day. But that’s for an individual that has injured themselves within the last 72 hours.”

 

The physical therapy clinic also offers direct access for patients for injuries that have been persistent and causing functional limitations for a week up to six months.

 

“If the patient has an injury that’s been there for a while but the individual has not been able to resolve the issue, we want to help them,” Skabelund said. “In this case we would tell the patient, ‘Let’s get you back in here in 3 days and I’ll do an exam.’ It’s still quicker than what they previously would have through the old system.”

 

Direct access not only benefits Airmen, but it also benefits the Air Force’s wallet as well.

 

“When students are unable to participate in training due to injury, there is a daily cost associated with that,” Worley said. “The longer patients wait to be seen, the harder it is to get them back to duty. It makes good business sense to get them back to duty as soon as possible.”

 

“Our primary duty in the medical career field is to expedite the rehab process and improve individuals function so that we can get them back to the fight” Skabelund said.