Equality, accessibility, and availability of physical therapy services in Israel—Perception of national directors

Abstract

To date no research has described Israeli physical therapy (PT) services to determine whether they are provided in the spirit intended by the National Health Insurance Law (NHIL). This study aimed to assess the equality, accessibility, and availability of PT services in Israel. Qualitative research was based on semi-structured, personal interviews with all national directors of PT services in Israel, followed by content analysis of the data obtained. According to the findings, PT services are provided by all Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) throughout Israel. In peripheral areas, access to services is limited; availability of services at most clinics is poor, a problem which is solved mainly by referring patients to PT outsourcing. The number of treatment sessions is determined by the NHIL; however, all directors agreed that the number of treatments provided should be based on a professional decision following patient evaluation and progress, rather than on administrative considerations. Inequality of service to peripheral areas could be reduced by creating cooperation between HMOs, thereby establishing clinics capable of providing services that are both accessible and equitable. In addition, the number of sessions provided to patients in the health-care basket should be reassessed, and a set of uniform criteria should be created for determining the optimal number of PT sessions. This could lead to greater uniformity in distribution of PT services provided by the HMOs.