Advocacy Update - Meeting with MOHLTC and LBP Pilot Project
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On Monday, November 24th, 2014, Andrew Lewarne, Executive Director and CEO of the RMTAO met with Alexandra Wilkinson, the Policy Advisor of the Regulated Health Professions for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
The meeting covered a variety of topics relating to the massage therapy profession, including our commitment to research and attendance at the IN-CAM research symposium, the lack of inclusion of massage therapy in palliative sessions including hospitals and hospices and the extent of research around the RMTs efficacy in assisting with cancer care, including systematic pain relief or stabilization of medicine uptake. Andrew Lewarne was then invited to attend the Ministry's announcement on November 26th, 2014, regarding the final selection for the seven sites included in Ontario's Low Back Pain Strategy.
The Primary Care Low Back Pain Pilot program involves 7 sites, and supports the integration of Allied Health Providers, including Registered Massage Therapists, Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, Kinestheologists and Occupational Therapists. One of the sites will include a weekly massage therapy session for their patients, provided by a local Massage Therapy School Clinic, with students being supervised by RMTs to maintain the high standards of intake, assessment, consent, treatment planning, treatment and remedial exercise prescription and clinical note taking.
Read more about this exciting announcement and we will provide any further details as soon as they become available.