Purpose: Identify perceptions of professional autonomy of Board Certified Physical Therapy Specialists (BCPTS) who practiced in managed care environments. Guiding questions: Do BCPTS perceive an increase in professional autonomy as a specialist than as a generalist? How do the perceptions of professional autonomy vary among each specialization? What variables affect perceptions of professional autonomy among BCPTS? Method: Two-hundred BCPTS throughout the country were randomly chosen as participants. One-hundred-eight respondents were used as subjects. Data analysis: Frequency distributions and Pearson's correlation coefficient statistic were utilized. Results: Majority of respondents reported no increase in professional autonomy as a specialist. Greater than three-quarters of the respondents reported a decrease in professional autonomy such as "clinical decisions were overriden by decisions of insurance companies". Correlational analysis revealed that "percent of patients covered by managed care insurance" had a major influence upon how respondents practiced and perceived their professional autonomy. Conclusion: While there were reported differences in perceptions of professional autonomy among each specialization, there was an overall perceived decrease of professional autonomy due to managed care.
| Date of Award | Jan 1 1998 |
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| Original language | English |
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