Deciding who will receive a liver or a heart for a transplant is an example of a distributive justice issue. Physical therapists also face distributive justice issues since there are not enough resources to provide full reimbursement for the care that we provide patients. Further, our time is a scarce resource and how we determine the use of our time is a justice issue. Compensatory justice concerns compensation for wrongs that have been done. Physical therapists may be involved in these types of justice issues if you are involved in a lawsuit or even if you are a member of a jury.
Procedural justice involves how the laws are procedurally carried out.
Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants must obey the laws and rules of the state and federal government or they may experience justice in the application of our laws. Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants face distributive justice issues frequently. Since we work in an era of cost containment, we must determine how we can provide quality care to patients with limited resources. Within our own practices, issues of justice involve patients receiving their fair share of physical therapy care while also assuming the burdens for paying for it. Patients should be made aware of your clinic s reimbursement policies as well as what their insurance or managed care company has allowed before treatment.