Douglas
"RE: Imaging - do you actually interpret the films or rely on the
radiologist report or a combination of the two?"
The radiologist sends me the report but with xrays i try to view them -
it is important to see if the xray findings match the clinical
diagnosis. For example the patient has L3 back symptoms but they have
nasty changes at L5 - is this relevant. Iam not as practiced with US
though am getting better with shoulders. I have an excellant US locally
so usually get good answers
"RE: Dx - I agree PTs need to dx all of their patients in order to
develop treatment interventions. Some in the USA have been debating
that PTs are only qualified to diagnose "impairments, functional
limitations and disabilities" to my way of thinking you do not know if
it is an impairment, functional limitation or a disability until you
have arrived at a diagnosis."
A diagnosis is 2 things - a pathology and a tissue site ( e.g.
supraspinatus tendinitis - inflammation of the supraspinatus tendon). I
try but can't always get an exact diagnosis but make a provisional one.
Without this how do you know what tissue to aim your treatment at and
what type of modality to use to change the pathology????
"Sometimes that diagnosis will be a disease or condition that you might
not treat. However, you still need to label that disease or condition
to the best of your ability and refer on to the most appropriate
practitioner who can manage that disease or condition. Would you agree?"
I try not to define things out of my interest - musculoskeletal. Your
question could suggest 2 things 1) a musculo condition that I can't
treat eg a fracture - I will make the provisinal diagnosis and refer
on 20 a non musculo problem eg gall stones - I don't know any thing
about this but it isn't in my field. I therefore won't make a diagnosis
but will send them back to the ddoctor and say I am unhappy/concerned
with their presentation - check them out fully before sending them
back. Open communication with the doctor is important
Hamish
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