New to Practice Archives - Page 4 of 8 - Ontario Physiotherapy Association

Advancing the Role of Physiotherapists in Primary Care

What’s the Issue

On Friday, September 6, OPA President Courtney Bean, CEO Sarah Hutchison, Primary Care Advisory Committee Chair member Emily Stevenson, and Government Relations Representative Don Gracey met with Dr. Jane Philpott, and Carly Bergamini, Director of the Primary Care Action Team (PCAT), an Ontario government initiative. The mandate of the PCAT is to ensure 100% of people in Ontario are attached to a family doctor or a primary care nurse practitioner working in a publicly funded team, where they receive ongoing, comprehensive, and convenient care.

OPA highlighted how approximately 20-30% of primary care visits are for musculoskeletal conditions,^{i, ii}. Based on clinical experience in physiotherapy in primary care settings and suggested attachment rates for physicians, OPA estimates that a physiotherapist on an interprofessional primary care team can increase attachment rates by approximately 425 total rostered patients (on average) or 24%.

With funding now available as teams expand to meet the government’s mandate of ensuring access to primary care, physiotherapists can deliver incredible value in their ability to independently diagnose and manage musculoskeletal conditions and increase attachment. 

Here’s What We Want

OPA is advocating for an expansion of physiotherapists in primary care teams in first contact roles.

OPA is advocating for the necessary statutory amendments to enable physiotherapists to prescribe x-rays and order lab tests and “forms of energy” to be completed. Physiotherapists in other provinces and “extended practice” physiotherapists in hospitals, etc. have been authorized to do for some time. It’s time for the remaining regulations to be implemented in Ontario.

With more physiotherapists on primary care teams, and working to their full scope of practice, we can reduce wait times, enhance access to care and improve patient outcomes at no net additional cost to the healthcare system.

Progress Made to Date

At this time, there are physiotherapists who are part of Family Health Teams, Community Health Centres, Nurse Practitioner-Led Teams and Indigenous Primary Care Teams. However, PTs are not frequently represented on these teams, and precise figures are not readily available from government sources, especially as organizations have moved to global budgeting models and so PT positions may be independent of specifically allocated funding. For the funding year 2023-2024, the following FTEs were identified:

29.44 FTE PT in Family Health Teams

54.03 FTE PT in Community Health Centres

2.40 FTE PT in Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics

These FTE values are likely a small undercount of the actual number of FTEs for physiotherapists in primary care teams.

Continuous Advocacy for PTs in Primary Care Roles

To ensure awareness of physiotherapists in team-based primary care roles, OPA meets with the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) and the Alliance for Healthier Communities (Alliance) as well as individual OHTs. Discussions center on how PTs can increase attachment rates, and to collate various supports and resources for primary care teams regarding physiotherapists.

Collaboration & Expanded Capacity

OPA supports a collaborative approach to the integration of all rehab providers in primary care teams. It is important to note that communicating a diagnosis is within the existing scope of physiotherapists, which supports functioning independently as part of a team to expand capacity.

Why This is Critical for Our Profession

It is important to expand the number of physiotherapists in first contact roles in primary care teams to ensure Ontarians get the right kind of care when they need it.

Current Challenges

Implementing Scope of Practice Changes

Well over a decade ago HRAC approved, and the necessary statutory amendments were made to enable physiotherapists to prescribe x-rays and order lab tests and “forms of energy”. The necessary regulations, however, have been held up in the Ministry for the better part of 15 years. We are hopeful that those regulations will be passed soon to reduce wait times, enhance access to care and improve patient outcomes at no net additional cost to the healthcare system.

Increase Compensation for Physiotherapists in Primary Care Teams

OPA recently contributed to an advocacy initiative led by AFHTO and the Alliance. The OPA provided comparative data on current compensation rates in all sectors, and a proposed updated rate that accounts for inflation since 2015, when positions for PTs in primary care teams were first established with a salary of $75,000. There is also advocacy for salary rates at CHCs to rise to the same levels as Family Health Teams. OPA proposed a salary range of $97 110-$102 075, and acknowledged that these figures only account for inflation, and are not rooted in a value-based approach.

How OPA Supports PTs in Primary Care Teams

OPA has supported physiotherapists in primary care teams, and those looking to add physiotherapists to their teams with:

Free educational modules to support PTs in primary care, developed through evidence-based and consensus processes – Preparing PTs for Team-based Primary Care

Consultation on applications to the Primary Care Action Team

Resources and individualized support for recruitment and retention, including job descriptions, compensation reports, interview guides and free job postings.

Communication to members regarding primary care developments

We Continue to Advocate

Dr. Philpott acknowledged the role and value of physiotherapists in team-based care and we look forward to our continued partnership to advance opportunities for physiotherapists.

i MacKay C, Canizares M, Davis AM & Badley EM. Health care utilization for musculoskeletal disorders. Arthritis Care & Research. 2010; 62(2): 161–169. Retrieved December 2023 from https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.20064.

ii Power JD, Perruccio AV, Paterson JM, Canizares M, Veillette C, Coyte PC et al. Healthcare utilization and costs for musculoskeletal disorders in Ontario, Canada. J Rheumatol. 2022; 49(7): 740-747. Retrieved March 2025 from https://www.jrheum.org/content/49/7/740.

OPA Staff Updates

We wanted to share with you recent OPA staff team updates.

Wishing Farewell to Amy Hondronicols, Director, Practice, Policy & Member Services

We bid farewell to Amy Hondronicols, Director of Practice, Policy and Member Services, who has made extraordinary contributions to the OPA over the past two years. Amy has been key in advancing our practice and policy work, engaging extensively with members and stakeholders across the physiotherapy community, and supporting countless initiatives that have strengthened our profession. We are excited for Amy in her new role as Director of Clinical Education at McMaster University. We wish her the very best in this new role and thank her for all that she has done for the profession.

Welcome to Emily Stevenson, new Director of Practice & Policy

Emily is an accomplished health care leader and Registered Physiotherapist with over 20 years of cross sectoral experience advancing physiotherapy and rehabilitation. She brings a combination of clinical expertise, health system leadership, and policy development to the role of Director of Practice and Policy. Her prior experience has focused on strategy, quality improvement, and the design and delivery of innovative programs that improve access and health outcomes.

Emily holds a MSc in Physiotherapy from McMaster University and a BSc/BPHE from Queen’s University. She is the recipient of the Ontario Physiotherapy Association’s Advocacy and Leadership Award (2024) and McMaster University’s Distinguished Alumni Award (2019). Contact Emily at estevenson@opa.on.ca beginning October 6.

Welcome to Janine Framst, new Manager of Marketing & Communications

Janine Framst is a seasoned marketing and communications professional with extensive experience in healthcare and member-based organizations. Before joining the Ontario Physiotherapy Association in June, she led marketing initiatives at the George Hull Centre Institute of Childhood Trauma and Attachment, significantly increasing digital engagement. Her past consulting work with a physiotherapy clinic deepened her appreciation for the profession’s role in improving health outcomes. Janine brings a strategic mindset, a collaborative approach, and a strong commitment to equity and continuous improvement. Contact Janine at jframst@opa.on.ca.

Welcome to Prerna Tawde, new Membership Coordinator

We are delighted to welcome Prerna to the team at OPA. Prerna joined us in early August as our new Membership Coordinator. Prerna is a Healthcare Management professional with a strong background in project management and physiotherapy. She has worked at UHN, where she supported virtual education programs for healthcare providers.

She was trained in India as a physiotherapist where she worked at a multispecialty hospital in Mumbai. With a Master’s in Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy and Postgraduate diploma in Project Management and Healthcare Management, she brings a great combination of skills and experience to our team. Contact Prerna at ptawde@opa.on.ca.

View all OPA Staff

Member Spotlight – Interprofessional Collaboration for More Effective Treatment Care

September 12, 2025

We are excited to feature four members who contributed to the article “Working with Physiotherapists: Tips for Effective Collaboration” in the Registered Massage Therapist Association of Ontario’s Massage Therapy Today magazine.

Marcos Rodrigues, Adam A. Saporta, Raj Suppiah, and Kyle Whaley share their perspectives on the benefits of interprofessional collaboration with massage therapists.

Whether it is meeting with clients jointly as health care professionals, coordinating efforts by exchanging observations, developing an effective treatment plan collaboratively or considering the changing client goals together, learn from all the authors about the ways to effectively communicate and collaborate with RMTs in this article.

Read the article

Hear from four members in this article:

“Through their combined expertise, RMTs and physiotherapists not only address the mechanical aspects of recovery but also support the sensory, emotional, and psychological dimensions of healing.” – Marcos Rodrigues, PT, MSc, MBA

“Clients feel more supported when they see their therapy team working together, speaking the same language, and reinforcing each other’s interventions with consistency.” – Adam A. Saporta PT, MScPT, PTS

“As a team, physiotherapists and massage therapists must provide their clients with realistic expectations and timelines. Research has shown that treatment planning and effective communication of the plan is as important as the treatment itself. “- Raj Suppiah, BHScHons, MScPT, Cert. MDT, Cert. Sport PT

“By aligning treatment to the patient’s rehab phase—and explicitly linking it to the patient’s rehabilitation goals—RMTs and physiotherapists position themselves as the most effective team in a patient’s recovery.”- Kyle Whaley, BScPT, BSc, BPHE, CAFCI

Navigating Exam & Registration Changes: Your Complete Guide

For students, new graduates, and internationally educated clinicians who want to practice in Ontario

Overview

Congratulations to all outgoing physiotherapy students, recent graduates, and new-to-practice clinicians! This is an exciting milestone in your journey, and we recognize that it can also be a time filled with questions and uncertainty, especially with the recent changes to the examination and registration process in Ontario.

This guide will help you navigate the transition based on your specific situation.

If You’ve Written and Passed the PCE

Contact the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (CPO) for your registration questions.
You are eligible to complete either the OCE or the new Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE).
If you choose to complete the OCE, you must apply for provisional practice class and the OCE at the same time (this is a requirement, and you cannot apply for one without the other).

Next Steps for graduates who are choosing to complete the OCE

Contact CPO immediately to secure your exam spot (please note that you cannot register for this examination until you have completed your PT program).
Prepare application materials for both provisional practice and OCE.
Review exam preparation resources.

Next Steps for those who have passed the PCE but have not yet completed their PT Program

Try to avoid stressing about securing an OCE slot. You cannot book this examination until you have completed your PT program.

Next Steps for graduates who are choosing to complete the CPTE

Contact the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) with your questions.
Submit your examination application for your preferred examination date.

If You Have NOT written (and will not be completing) the PCE

You are not eligible to complete the OCE. You will be required to complete the new Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE).
Contact the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) for information about how to apply.
The first CPTE is expected to take place in early 2026, with several additional dates.

Next Steps:

Visit CAPR’s website for the most current information.
Stay connected with your program advisors for guidance.

If You Passed the PCE Within the Last 5 Years (But Haven’t Been Practicing)

This situation may apply if you:

Were working in another field
Took time off from physiotherapy, during which time you did not hold a license
Were living outside of Canada
Completed your education but didn’t immediately enter practice

What you need to do:

Connect with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (CPO) to explore your registration options.
Determine whether the OCE or CPTE is the right next step for your situation.
Review any additional requirements that may apply to returning practitioners.
Understand timelines and deadlines specific to your circumstances.

Contact the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario

Important Resources

Key Organizations

College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (CPO) – Regulatory body, registration requirements
Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) – CPTE examination information
Ontario Physiotherapy Association (OPA) – Professional support, advocacy, networking

What OPA Provides

Updates on regulatory changes affecting your career
Professional development and networking opportunities
Advocacy for the profession at policy levels
Career support and job posting access
Professional liability insurance through membership

Stay Updated

Visit CPO or OPA websites for the latest information
Follow CPO or OPA communications for regulatory updates
Connect with fellow students and new graduates
Maintain contact with your educational program advisors

OPA resources for students & new to practice

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I’m confused about which exam I need to take. Who should I contact?
A: Contact the CPO directly. They can assess your specific situation and provide definitive guidance on which examination pathway applies to you.

Q: Can I practice while waiting for exam results?
A: This depends on your registration status. Speak with CPO about provisional practice opportunities and requirements.

Q: How long do I have to complete these requirements after graduation?
A: Timelines vary by situation. Contact CPO immediately after graduation to understand your specific deadlines.

Q: What if I’m planning to practice outside Ontario?
A: Each province has different requirements. If you plan to practice elsewhere, contact that province’s regulatory college directly.

Q: How does OPA membership help with this transition?
A: OPA provides ongoing updates about regulatory changes, professional support during your transition, networking opportunities, and advocacy to ensure these processes serve new graduates effectively.

Need More Help?

Regulatory Questions: Contact the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (CPO)
Exam Information: Contact Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR)
Professional Support: Contact Ontario Physiotherapy Association (OPA)

Remember: This process can feel overwhelming, but you’re not alone. OPA is here to support you as you launch your career, and we’re advocating for processes that serve new graduates effectively.

This guide is current as of September 1, 2025. Regulatory requirements may change. Always verify information directly with the relevant regulatory bodies.

Annual Fee Guideline Review: We Want Your Input!

Nearly one year has passed since OPA published the 2024 Physiotherapy Fee Guideline, and we’re continuing our commitment to annual reviews that keep pace with the evolving private practice landscape.

Supporting Your Practice Success

The Annual Fee Guideline Review ensures that physiotherapists have access to current, relevant fee guidance. This review process examines market trends, practice realities, and member needs, to deliver a tool that serves our profession.

This resource is designed for all physiotherapists, with particular focus on those in private practice who face daily decisions about fee structures while striving to deliver exceptional patient care and maintain sustainable businesses.

Addressing Real Practice Challenges

We know you’re navigating an increasingly complex practice environment. Economic pressures, changing patient expectations, insurance considerations, and evolving service delivery models all impact how you structure your fees. Without current guidance, it becomes challenging to make confident decisions that balance patient accessibility with practice sustainability.

The private practice landscape doesn’t stand still, and neither should the resources that support your success.

How Your Input Drives Meaningful Updates

Our annual review process is built on member engagement. We’re seeking your insights through a survey that explores your current fees, fee models, and experiences using the Fee Guideline as an advocacy tool in your practice.

This data collection allows us to continue to evolve and modify the Guideline with your real-world experience as the foundation.

The Value You Receive

By participating in this annual review, you gain:

Evidence-based fee guidance that reflects current market conditions

A powerful advocacy tool to support conversations with patients, insurance providers, and other stakeholders

Professional confidence in your fee decisions, backed by peer input

Practice sustainability support that helps balance patient care with business viability

Community connection through shared insights and collective professional growth

Your Participation Matters

The survey takes just minutes to complete but provides invaluable insights that strengthen our entire profession. Your responses help us understand emerging trends, identify challenges, and ensure the Fee Guideline remains practically relevant for diverse practice settings across Ontario.

By participating, you are actively contributing to a resource that supports thousands of physiotherapists in delivering quality care while maintaining sustainable practices.

Looking Forward

Stay tuned for updates this fall as we compile insights, analyze trends, and prepare the updated guideline. This collaborative approach ensures the Fee Guideline continues evolving as a relevant, practical tool that serves our growing professional community.

Supporting Your Professional Journey

This annual review exemplifies why OPA exists: to provide physiotherapists with the tools, resources, and support needed to thrive in all practice settings. Whether you’re establishing fees for a new service, advocating with insurance providers, or simply ensuring your practice remains sustainable, the Fee Guideline serves as your professional foundation.

Ready to contribute? Complete the survey today and help shape the resource that supports our profession’s future.

InterACTION in 2026 and CPA Congress Call for Submissions

The Canadian Physiotherapy Association has opened the Call for Presentations for abstracts to be considered for Congress 2026, hosted in Halifax, Nova Scotia from May 28-30, 2026. The Call for Presentations is open from July 2 until October 9, 2025.

For 2026, OPA has decided to promote participation by Ontario members to both submit proposals for Congress and attend in Halifax in May. By facilitating attendance in alternating years at Congress and OPA’s InterACTION, there is an opportunity to create events with robust discussions from members of the physiotherapy community across the country.

This decision will also enable OPA to imagine and host different types of events in 2026. Stay tuned for details about these innovative offerings throughout 2026. We will be planning to offer our next InterACTION Conference in 2027.

Congress 2026 Submission Requirements

Submissions for CPA Congress 2026 must:

Apply to one of the 18 themes or practice areas identified in the call

Be evidence-informed and directly related to physiotherapy practice

Showcase best practices and innovation

Prioritize engagement and practical application

Congress is an excellent opportunity for Ontario physiotherapists to share their expertise, research, and innovative practices with colleagues from across Canada while contributing to the advancement of the profession nationally.

OPA encourages members to submitting proposals that highlight the outstanding work being done by physiotherapists across Ontario. Your participation helps ensure that Ontario’s voice and expertise are well-represented at this national gathering.

For full details and a submission guide, please visit CPA’s Call for Presentations.

Submission Deadline: October 9, 2025

Exclusive New Graduate Offer: Continue Your OPA Membership for Just $99

Congratulations on completing your physiotherapy program! As you transition from student to professional, the Ontario Physiotherapy Association is excited to offer you an exclusive membership deal designed specifically for new graduates.

Special New Graduate Pricing

We’re making it easier than ever for recent graduates to access all the benefits of OPA membership:

Year 1 After Graduation: Just $99* for your OPA membership (regularly $270)
Year 2 After Graduation: 50% Off* regular OPA membership fees

*Note: This special pricing applies to the OPA portion of your conjoint membership with the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA).

What Your OPA Membership Includes

Professional Support and Resources

New to Practice Toolkit including interview tips, compensation considerations, contract information, and more

Access to resources to help you understand your employment status and your rights

Business and personal resources to help you run your own practice, or practice as an employee

Professional Development and Community

All OPA communications including member-only emails, social media, and webinars

Local District Events including networking, social, and professional development opportunities

Member-only resources and tools for your practice

Strong Professional Advocacy

Advocacy for scope of practice implementation and fair compensation

Representation through engagement with the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health and submissions for legislative and policy changes

Voice in healthcare policy through responses and submissions for legislative changes and representation on provincial advisory committees

Part of a Larger Community

When you join OPA, you become part of Ontario’s 5,500+ and Canada’s 16,000+ community of physiotherapy professionals and students through the conjoint membership structure.

Why OPA Membership Matters

As part of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, OPA is a professional organization whose mission is to provide leadership, support, and advocacy for its members so that Ontarians can access quality physiotherapy services when and where they need it.

As the professional association for physiotherapists, physiotherapist assistants, resident physiotherapists, and physiotherapy and physiotherapy assistant students living in Ontario, we support our members through advocacy, professional development, and career support. We influence and shape decisions that affect the profession and empower our members to provide the utmost in safe and high-quality care to all people and communities served.

Perfect Timing for Your Career

This special pricing recognizes that you’re building your career and gives you access to everything you need to succeed professionally at a price that fits your budget during this important transition period.

Ready to Take Advantage of This Exclusive Offer?

This special pricing is only available for recent graduates and applies to the OPA portion of your conjoint membership.

Don’t miss this opportunity to join Ontario’s professional physiotherapy association at this special rate. Your professional future is worth the investment – and at just $99 for your first year, there’s never been a better time to become an OPA member.

Join or renew your membership and get the discounted OPA rate for the 2025-2026 year beginning on August 21, 2025 when OPA/CPA co-joint membership opens for the year.

Join Now

OPA Campaign Wins Awards

July 17, 2025

OPA currently partners with SalesLoop, a marketing agency, on projects that elevate the profession and the Association and to increase our reach. Based on our strategic plan, OPA determines each year what strategies may require the investment of valuable membership dollars into our campaigns.

Silver from Telly Awards (2025)

In 2024, we launched a campaign “New Voices, New Ideas & New Opportunities” highlighting our change in leadership with our new CEO, Sarah Hutchison, and President, Courtney Bean and how we continue to evolve to meet the needs of the physiotherapy community. We also showcased our Board of Directors and the value we continue to bring to our members.

SalesLoop entered our campaign into the Telly Awards competition, and we won a Silver Award! By winning a Silver, our project was recognized as an exclusive group of work that meets higher than average standards. Watch the award winning video below.

Campaign Also Wins 3 Gold Healthcare Digital Marketing Awards (2024)

This same campaign, “New Voices, New Ideas & New Opportunities” also won three gold Healthcare Digital Marketing Awards for our campaign emails, microsite and video.

Why Does This Matter?

Winning awards not only feels great but demonstrates that we are investing your membership dollars into campaigns that are effective in meeting our goals and elevating the profession. We have partnered with SalesLoop since 2016 and they continue to go above and beyond. They ensure that our objectives are thoughtfully considered so that we can determine together the best and most cost-effective ways to meet our goals.

About the Telly Awards (2025)

The Tellys honour excellence in video and television across all screens. The Telly Awards recognize work in Branded Content, Commercials & Marketing, Immersive & Mixed Reality, Non-Broadcast, Online and Television Series, Shows & Segments, Social Video, and Film & Shorts.

The competition received over 13,000 entries globally from six continents and all 50 U.S. states.

Entries were judged by a council of over 250 industry experts from organizations such as Netflix, Adobe, PlutoTV, Gymnasium, RunwayML, and more

Gold Telly Award is the highest honour, awarded exclusively to the top 3% of winning entries, representing the highest marker of excellence.

Silver Telly Award is awarded to entries that meet a high standard of creative distinction but do not reach the Gold level.

Bronze Telly Award recognizes commendable work that meets the entry criteria but scores lower than Silver and Gold.

Learn more

About the Healthcare Digital Marketing Awards (2024)

The Healthcare Digital Marketing Awards recognizes the best healthcare websites, digital content, electronic communications, mobile media and social media.

This national competition began its efforts to recognize the field of healthcare marketing and advertising in the pioneering area of digital marketing.

OPA was won 3 of the 190 awards issued in 2024

Gold (102), Silver (48), Bronze (24), and Merit (16)

A total of 62 institutions were awarded

Learn more

Courtney Bean, OPA’s President Message, July 2025

July 9, 2025

OPA President Courtney Bean shares a summer message and key updates from the June Board discussions. He highlights the continued push for expanded scope of practice, OPA’s advocacy for physiotherapy in primary care, and efforts to support governance model reviews in light of ONCA. Courtney also touches on recent submissions regarding provisional practice, a new position statement supporting Jordan’s Principle, and advocacy for PT roles in integrated health centers.

Take Action and send a letter to Premier Doug Ford & Health Minister Sylvia Jones on completing the regulations for scope of practice. It takes only 1 minute to add your name and email.

Happy National Physiotherapy Month 2025!

May 27, 2025

At Queens Park, MPP France Gélinas took time to wish the entire physiotherapy community a very happy National Physiotherapy Month, along with OPA CEO Sarah Hutchison.