title: Creating an interface between the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and physical therapist practice.
abstract: The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has endorsed the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a framework to be integrated into physical therapist practice. The ICF is a universal and inclusive platform for the understanding of health and disability and a comprehensive classification system for describing functioning. The APTA's Guide to Physical Therapist Practice was designed to guide patient management, given the different settings and health conditions that physical therapists encounter in their daily clinical practice. However, physical therapists may be unclear as to how to concretely apply the ICF in their clinical practice and to translate the application in a way that is meaningful to them and to their patients. This perspective article proposes ways to integrate the ICF and the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice to facilitate clinical documentation by physical therapists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Reuben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Escorpizo
authors.forename: Gerold
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stucki
authors.forename: Alarcos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cieza
authors.forename: Kandace
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Teri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stumbo
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Riddle
mesh_terms: D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000145:classification*; D004282:Documentation; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty