Skip to main content

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Specification for Class
PHYSICAL THERAPIST SPECIALIST

UW CODE AND REPRESENTATIVE GROUP

18133 (E S SEIU 925 HCP/LT)
21166 (NE H SEIU 925 HCP/LT)

CLASS SERIES CONCEPT

This classification series defines physical therapist work performed at University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC), UWMC Clinics, and Hall Health Center. Positions in this job assess patient status, plan, administer and evaluate physical therapy services.

BASIC FUNCTION

Coordinate, oversee, and provide physical therapy services to patients in a specialty service program within a therapy department.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Physical Therapist Specialist is distinguished from Physical Therapist 3 by the responsibility for managing, assessing, and directing clinical and educational activities of a specialty program according to patient/community needs and management direction.

Under general direction, coordinate and provide leadership in a specialty service program. Work at this level includes providing in-service training programs and/or community training or outreach programs in a clinical specialty area(s), assisting in recruitment and coordinating of schedules for other therapy staff assigned to the specialty service program, and participating in developing budget requests for the specialty service program.

TYPICAL WORK

Manage a specialty program; provide clinical expertise, coordinate development of best practice guidelines and competencies, and provide leadership to develop and grow a specialty service program according to the needs of the patient/community;

Create and maintain the schedule of the program to meet the needs of the patients and the community;

Perform complex assessments in specialty service and recommend appropriate treatment plans;

Direct the work of staff assigned to the entire specialty service. As appropriate, participate in hiring, coaching, training, firing, and remediation of staff and/or residents in the specialty program;

Identify quality improvement projects in their area and take steps to initiate change; ensure procedures and standards are met for services provided in specialty; monitor quality assurance activities;

Participate in developing budget requests for program specialty, such as, providing justification for additional therapy staff and/or equipment or explaining variances in productivity of staff in the specialty program; comply with budget restrictions;

Participate in coordinating student physical therapy affiliations or residency programs;

Develop and present in-service trainings in specialty area to students, staff and community groups;

Participate in regional, national, or international activities in the form of posters, contributing to projects/research, presentations, or involvement in committees;

Participate in clinical studies for the specialty;

Perform the work of a Physical Therapist 3;

May supervise residents, including coordination of their schedules; and

Perform related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Current Washington State license to practice as a Physical Therapist

Graduation from an accredited Physical Therapy Program, and 2.5 years of relevant practice in physical therapy, and certification in the specialty service;

OR

Equivalent education/experience.

CLASSIFICATION HISTORY

New to SEIU 925: July 19, 2016: Class adopted for UW contract classified staff per PERC decision to add this title to SEIU 925 Healthcare professional/laboratory technical bargaining unit, effective September 23, 2015 (Case #127429-E-15). Incorporates the work of UW classified non-union job code 6137, Physical Therapist Specialist/Washington State Job Code 306W.

Revise Class, update job code with Workday code: 10-16-18