Suomen Fysioterapeutit esittää maailman fysioterapiajärjestö World Physiotherapyn Euroopan aluejärjestölle lähettämässään aloitteessa Euroopan alueelle yhtenäistä linjaa fysioterapian täydennys- ja erikoistumiskoulutusten luokitteluun sekä erikoisalojen määrittelyyn. Aloitteemme käsitellään järjestön seuraavassa yleiskokouksessa.
To the Europe Region World Physiotherapy Executive Committee 17.2.2022
Motion from The Finnish Association of Physiotherapists to the Europe Region World Physiotherapy General Meeting 2022
Defining, unifying and categorizing the variety of physiotherapy specialties
Word Physiotherapy defines specialization as the result of in-depth knowledge, skills and competence attained by a physical therapist qualified in a specific area, within the scope of practice recognized as physical therapy. This usually results from defined training and educational pathways, associated with a formal process for testing and recognizing the higher level acquired, but it may also be demonstrated as a result of informal learning and experience. A specialist physical therapist is defined as a physical therapist who has formally demonstrated in-depth clinical competence in a defined specialty area within the scope of practice recognized as physical therapy. A specialist physical therapist would be expected to practice and/or teach in the specialty area of clinical practice and also to be involved in evaluation and practice/service development and to contribute to the body of knowledge relevant to their practice setting.
There is a multiplicity of different specialties (specialty area) within physiotherapy. Definitions of these specialties are varying, and the categorization of the specialties is challenging. Some specialties are based on specific method, i.e. acupuncture, some are based on specific age group, i.e. children or elderly and some are based on specific disease or trauma, i.e. musculoskeletal or neurological problem. There is also a considerable variation among different countries on the demand of formal education required in order to be recognized as a specialist physiotherapist in certain field.
The Finnish Association of Physiotherapists feels that there is a need to clarify the contents around the specialization process. We have recognized the need to define and categorize different types of specialties in a way useable in for example public procurements or productization of physiotherapy. We also feel that there is a lack of coherent recognition on the various specialties within physiotherapy.
The Finnish Association of Physiotherapists respectfully puts forward the motion on defining and unifying the specialties recognized by the members of World Physiotherapy European Region and creating a simple and useful categorization system for the different types of specialties. This would unify the productization of physiotherapy, be of a great help in public procurements and enhance the overall quality of physiotherapy.
The Finnish Association of Physiotherapists feels this motion to be vital in clarifying the use of the title specialist physiotherapist. We see our motion also as a way of improving the equality of the different specialties.
