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ASHT gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the Hand Therapy Certification Commission toward our efforts in advocating for fair and equitable reimbursement for therapists providing orthoses. Click here to read more about this restricted grant.
ASHT Established Excellence in Hand Therapy
The American Society of Hand Therapists was incorporated in 1977 to advance the specialty of hand therapy through communication, education, research and the establishment of clinical standards.
At that time, membership in ASHT was restricted to therapists practicing in the United States or Canada. In addition to clinical hours, therapists had to submit a patient log, case studies and complete an extensive application. Membership in ASHT became a de facto form of certification, because of the stringent application process required. Members of ASHT were recognized in the field as being experts.
Governmental Influences in the 1970's
In the mid-1980’s, antitrust laws against organizations with strict membership qualifications were being enforced. It was felt that restricting membership was a form of discrimination and that membership in an organization should be open to a broad range of individuals in a professional field. Since the late 1970’s, the federal government had already been encouraging the formation of voluntary certification programs that would not be federally regulated. These two trends led ASHT to establish a certification committee in 1984 to study other organizations and present options to the members. The committee discovered that the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA) in Washington, D.C. had established guidelines for organizations that offer professional certification. Those guidelines were used to form the framework for hand therapy certification.
First Practice Analysis in 1985
The first step in the process was a role delineation study (now commonly known as a practice analysis) of hand therapy. A survey was written with consultation from a professional testing company. The survey was sent to ASHT members and non-members who practiced hand rehabilitation. The results of the survey formed the basis of the Scope of Practice and were used to write the original test blueprint. The results of the survey were published in the Journal of Hand Therapy in 1987. Based on the report of the certification committee, the members of ASHT voted to proceed with hand therapy certification at the 1987 Annual Meeting.
HTCC Incorporates in 1989
ASHT helped to incorporate HTCC as a separate entity in 1989, prior to administration of the first Hand Therapy Certification Examination in 1991. Since then, ASHT and HTCC have maintained a close relationship to promote the missions of both organizations. However, they are administratively independent and they do not have influence over the policies, procedures or activities of the other organization.
Click here to read about the grant ASHT received from
the Hand Therapy Certification Commission in 2003
Contact HTCC to learn more about Hand Therapy Certification.
Click here to read HTCC's Definition of Hand Therapy and Scope of Practice of
Certified Hand Therapists
Click here for ASHT membership information.
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