Outpatient Physical Therapist

Overview

The Physical Therapist evaluates, diagnoses, and manages patients with physical impairments and functional limitations to maximize functional abilities. The therapist designs individualized treatment plans that address each patient’s goals and educates patients and families on preventing and managing conditions to promote optimal health and wellness.

• Perform comprehensive initial evaluations to identify functional deficits and develop treatment plans to improve mobility, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability.
• Provide skilled interventions tailored to patient needs and preferences using appropriate techniques, modalities, and equipment.
• Collaborate with patients to create short- and long-term goals.
• Communicate effectively and respectfully with patients, families, and other health‑care providers, ensuring informed consent, confidentiality, and cultural sensitivity.
• Manage patients to improve mobility, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability through direct or indirect treatments or appropriate referrals.
• Establish and update diagnosis, prognosis, and plan of care based on evidence and clinical reasoning.
• Review and record information in patients’ medical records, including findings, treatment plans, responses to treatment, and changes in status.
• Educate patients and family members about prognosis and care options.
• Assist in developing and implementing department programs.
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives, continuing education activities, and professional development opportunities.
• Monitor and document patient progress, outcomes, and satisfaction with services.
• Share clinical knowledge and new techniques to improve patient care.
• Supervise Physical Therapy Assistants as assigned.
• Supervise PT and PTA students and observers as assigned.
• Maintain confidentiality of all materials and comply with information‑release policies.
• Comply with network and departmental policies regarding safety and reporting requirements.
• Adhere to ethical, legal, and regulatory standards of the physical therapy profession and the health‑care organization.
• Demonstrate models of the network’s Service Excellence Standards of Performance in interactions with all customers.
• Demonstrate performance improvement in clinical care/outcomes, customer/service improvement, operational systems/processes, and safety.
• Demonstrate financial responsibility and accountability through efficient use of resources.
• Comply with attendance and dress‑code policies.
• Demonstrate competency in assessment, range of treatment, developmental knowledge, and communication appropriate to patient age.
• Attend meetings as designated or requested.
• Accurately bill patient accounts for services rendered.
• Provide in‑services to PT department staff and others.
• Participate in QI data collection and planning.
• Attend multidisciplinary meetings as applicable.
• Clean and order supplies as assigned for daily operations.
• Perform other related duties as assigned, such as peer record review.

• Ability to sit for up to ninety minutes at a time.
• Ability to stand for thirty to forty‑five minutes consecutively.
• Use hands/fingers to manipulate dials on machines.
• Occasional stoop, bend, squat, crouch, kneel, and reach above shoulder level.
• Lift/move patients up to 50 lbs.; push/pull patients weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Maintain tactile sensation for detecting muscle spasms, texture, and skin temperature.
• Normal hearing for conversation.
• General vision, depth perception, and peripheral vision.

Doctoral Degree, Master’s, Bachelor’s, or an accredited physical therapy certificate.

Successful completion of required affiliations and a minimum of one year of experience as a physical therapist in an outpatient setting.

St. Luke’s University Health Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer.