Bulletin 240602 — Community Physiotherapy Clinic Program changes
Update: reducing red tape and the administrative burden on Nurse Practitioners
To: Nurse Practitioner with Extended Class
Category: Registered Nurse with Extended Class (RN(EC))
Written by: Physician Relations & Contract Oversight Branch, Physician and Provider Services Division
Date issued: June 20, 2024
Bulletin Number: 240602
Overview
The Ministry of Health and the Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario (NPAO) have been making positive changes by making program changes to the publicly-funded Community Physiotherapy Clinic Program that will reduce red tape and the administrative burden on nurse practitioners and other primary care providers.
Program changes
Several changes have been made to the Community Physiotherapy Clinic Program including removing the requirement for a referral from a primary care provider.
Note: While nurse practitioners are no longer required to refer patients to the program, the option to do so will remain in effect.
If nurse practitioners are choosing to refer patients to the program, they are still expected to provide all the necessary documentation to the Community Physiotherapy Clinic so that a thorough initial assessment can be conducted by the physiotherapist on site.
How people can access the Community Physiotherapy Clinic Program
The updated eligibility criteria now includes if they are discharged from hospital following outpatient/day surgery as below:
- an Ontario resident with a valid OHIP card
- 65 years or older
- 19 years or under
- any age after an overnight hospital stay or outpatient/day surgery (within the last 12 months) for the condition requiring physiotherapy
- a recipient of the Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program (any age)
Please note: a referral to publicly-funded physiotherapy does not guarantee eligibility.
If patients do not meet the eligibility criteria for the CPC program, they can pay for services privately or through a third-party insurer such as employee benefits.
Patients may also wish to find out if they can access other publicly-funded physiotherapy programs such as in-home care, and exercise and falls prevention classes.
For more information on where to access publicly funded physiotherapy services in your Ontario Health region, please visit: ontario.ca/page/get-physiotherapy.
Keywords/Tags
Community physiotherapy program; physiotherapy; program changes; nurse practitioners; nurses; nurse practitioner with extended class; primary care; primary care provider
Contact information
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