Mirror, mirror
Monday June 11, 2012
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On April 30, I received an email from R. Scott Ward, PT, PhD, president of the American Physical Therapy Association, which provided an update on the association’s activities. It is obvious that APTA has accomplished quite a bit in the past several years. Whether these accomplishments are positive or negative will depend on who you ask.
Last year, I wrote an Editor’s Note pertaining to an RC that was passed allowing extenders, aside from physical therapist assistants, to provide physical therapy services. Was that a good move that will best serve our profession? Earlier this year, the APTA board of directors reviewed a report proposing an update of APTA’s governance structure and processes. Is this a good move to best position our association for the future?
What is most interesting to me is the board held a session addressing a 2011 motion calling for APTA to revise its Vision Sentence for Physical Therapy, and Vision Statement for Physical Therapy. The objective is to look beyond 2020 and clearly articulate the profession’s commitment to society.
Topics included the image of the physical therapist, skills and competencies of the PT, the profession’s culture and important initiatives the profession will undertake in the next 10 years. The board also identified top priorities the Vision Task Force will use as it continues its work during the next few months conducting focus groups.
All of these are being put in motion, eight years away from Vision 2020 (which can be found at APTA.org/Vision2020), which begs the following questions: Where are we in the achievement of Vision 2020? Are we close? Do we discard our current vision to make way for a new one, even before 2020? Or do we overlap a new vision with the current Vision 2020?
I understand strategic plans should be adjusted to meet the changing times. However, I think it will be wise for us to look at where we are in meeting our current vision before we embark on a new one. This exercise will allow us to make adjustments on our current status and action plans and not repeat the same mistakes.
I have seen two Snow White movies this year. In both, the stepmother asks the same familiar question: "Mirror, mirror on the wall ..." Regardless of the answer, I believe that, as a profession, we should ask a similar question. Only by knowing where we are now can we make adjustments to the direction we are headed. •
Last year, I wrote an Editor’s Note pertaining to an RC that was passed allowing extenders, aside from physical therapist assistants, to provide physical therapy services. Was that a good move that will best serve our profession? Earlier this year, the APTA board of directors reviewed a report proposing an update of APTA’s governance structure and processes. Is this a good move to best position our association for the future?
What is most interesting to me is the board held a session addressing a 2011 motion calling for APTA to revise its Vision Sentence for Physical Therapy, and Vision Statement for Physical Therapy. The objective is to look beyond 2020 and clearly articulate the profession’s commitment to society.
Topics included the image of the physical therapist, skills and competencies of the PT, the profession’s culture and important initiatives the profession will undertake in the next 10 years. The board also identified top priorities the Vision Task Force will use as it continues its work during the next few months conducting focus groups.
All of these are being put in motion, eight years away from Vision 2020 (which can be found at APTA.org/Vision2020), which begs the following questions: Where are we in the achievement of Vision 2020? Are we close? Do we discard our current vision to make way for a new one, even before 2020? Or do we overlap a new vision with the current Vision 2020?
I understand strategic plans should be adjusted to meet the changing times. However, I think it will be wise for us to look at where we are in meeting our current vision before we embark on a new one. This exercise will allow us to make adjustments on our current status and action plans and not repeat the same mistakes.
I have seen two Snow White movies this year. In both, the stepmother asks the same familiar question: "Mirror, mirror on the wall ..." Regardless of the answer, I believe that, as a profession, we should ask a similar question. Only by knowing where we are now can we make adjustments to the direction we are headed. •
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Monday June 11, 2012