NATA & APTA reach settlement

NATA and the American Physical Therapy Association have agreed on terms that will settle the federal court antitrust lawsuit NATA initiated in 2008. NATA President Marje Albohm, MS, ATC, says the successful outcome is tremendously positive for the profession. "The settlement will allow us to continue to advance the profession while ensuring patient safety," she said. "This success means that we can put the Fair Practice Lawsuit behind us, knowing we have made great strides through it." The settlement centers on a Joint Statement on Cooperation, a public declaration that will be posted on NATA and APTA Web sites, said NATA counsel Paul Genender of K&L Gates. Full text of the Joint Statement will be released soon, but highlights include: - The APTA acknowledges that athletic trainers are health care professionals who are authorized to provide interventions within their scope of practice and that the scopes of practice of both professions overlap to some extent; - The APTA agrees that PTs are not the exclusive providers of manual therapy and that ATs are qualified to perform some forms of manual therapy; - The APTA acknowledges that ATs are required, per their academic education, to be competent in some forms of manual therapy. Counsel for NATA and APTA have notified the Court that the case has been settled, and final documents and details will be posted as they become available