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It is inspiration such as this that PTs and PTAs should take to work every day, Dr. Ward said.

"We all have one thing in common: our essence of our work is that we see possibilities and help others do the same. We can identify potential and help people see their own potential. Our job is to honor the possibilities, not discourage them."

Therapists can be exposed to many "pundits" who "believe their views are always right" when it comes to having a voice in the health care arena, Dr. Ward stated. "But complex issues are not simple, and dogmatism is common to extremes."

The profession aims to seek "meaningful dialogue" on delivery of health care, he said. "We should be a part of the national debate and rise above dogma to come to sensible conclusions. Our challenge it to make sure patients have and know they have direct access to our important services," he said to applause. "And all people should be insured to receive therapy delivered only by licensed PTs and PTAs."

Physical therapists promote health through prescriptive goal-oriented activity and prevention efforts, and use evidence-based decision making to create goals for patients, Dr. Ward stressed. "We are part of this ongoing conversation on health care, on what it is today and what it will become. The possibilities for improving care are remarkable."

He stressed that those involved in the health care reform dialogue "must resist the negative pull" of politics and societal influences and "do what we have always done-instill real hope in our patients."

--Lisa Lombardo

Gingrich Speaks of 'Challenge for America'

What's the difference 20 years can make? As former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich pointed out Wednesday night while making the keynote address at PT 2009, one need only look at the Baltimore Inner Harbor. "The area's growth over the past 20 years is a symbol of optimism and what working together can produce."

Gingrich addressed a full crowd on June 10, emphasizing that if all parties got involved in reforming health care across the country, something would actually get done. He started with a (seemingly) rhetorical question: "How many of you think you know more about helping people and getting them care than.members of Congress? Than the bureaucrats at CSM?" he asked to laughter from the audience.

He spoke about his established Center for Health Transformation, which he founded to get dialogue going about reforming health care models. "We have more scientists and technology today in health care than ever. In 25 years until 2034, we could see four times as much change," he said, comparing the time to people in 1880 trying to comprehend the changes today. "How does this matter? Because it means every day that goes by there are new leaders with knowledge to advance."

Gingrich emphasized that PTs and PTAs help patients discover "disabilities to capabilities. I have great respect for what you all do," he said, recounting how his daughter worked to overcome rheumatoid arthritis and now lives a fuller life than when she was first diagnosed. "You have a greater capacity to help people lead their lives," he said, emphasizing that any reforms to health care delivery and costs need to keep this at the forefront. "The question is, how would we design a system to help people, rather than just subsidize them?"

He said health care providers for one need to rethink continuing education, "so it is a 24-7 endeavor; there are so many breakthroughs that occur every year, if they are not addressed many will end up behind the curve."

Gingrich said when everyone talks about health care reform, the emphasis is always first on the money, the funding. "That is really only the fourth box" within the continuum, he stressed. "The first is addressing the individual, then society, then the delivery system. "Patient involvement is the first key; the goal is the individual should know his health status and be a leader in a team effort on his own health."

He said the Center advocates five-day per week K-12 physical education-which got much audience applause-and schools rethinking what they provide for children for lunches in school as good ways to get young people to start "eating intelligently and leading healthy lives."

As another example, Gingrich said research has shown that people who saw physical therapists to solve their lower back pain problems ended up not needing further treatments. "In a great number of cases it solved the problem before it got worse."

As for changes on the health care political landscape, Gingrich said, "one giant bill will never pass. When someone writes a bill, all groups will examine it to see what parts of that bill will affect their own profession."

Washington's annual budget is "totally political, penny-wise and pound-foolish. We have to rethink that fourth box, to emphasize wellness and reducing chronic conditions to get the least expensive care possible. The challenge for America is to not lose that right to health care" that everyone deserves, Gingrich said.

The emphasis needs to move from merely funding acute care treatments to treating chronic conditions, Gingrich stated. "Every day that we are trapped in this current health system, we emphasize the wrong things at the wrong time. This is not only a political cost but also and more importantly, a human and economic one. I believe at the Center we have to refocus the system into helping people recover and lead better lives in the first place. We would be very interested in talking with APTA about it, and result in major cost savings to people who need to access PT."

--Lisa Lombardo