Individual physical therapy departments or clinics are facing potential budget cuts as many states work to decrease state-funded medical facilities. Meanwhile, traveling physical therapy jobs and physical therapy assistants are expected to grow.
These healthcare professionals diagnose and treat patients who have medical conditions, illnesses or injuries limiting their ability to move and perform everyday functions.
To successfully treat the patient, hospitals and clinics often need a variety of machines, tables and exercise materials to assist in the restoration of patient movement. Physical therapists may now cover regions and travel to multiple outfitted clinics or hospitals to treat patients.
Traveling physical therapists may work in one single facility or clinic for the duration of an assignment, generally 13 weeks, although the contract length may vary. Physical therapists may also be contracted by multiple hospitals or clinics within the same community or region and work a rotating schedule to help fill scheduling gaps and maintain continuity of care.
The potential pros of being a traveling physical therapist may be patient flexibility and cost savings for a medical facility. Instead of paying a physical therapist for working at a facility not utilizing her expertise everyday, facilities can share according to need.