Who has the authority to establish a diagnosis?

• A. The physical therapist
• B. The consumer/patient
• C. The insurance provider
• D. A health care professional

Answer: (D)

Diagnosing a health condition is something officieel reserved for a licensed health care professional. This means a clinician who has the medical training and legal authority to identify diseases or health issues. A consumer can report symptoms and a physical therapist can perform an evaluation and discuss a PT-related diagnosis or clinical impression, but the formal medical diagnosis—what explains the underlying condition and guides broader medical care—comes from a health care professional with appropriate licensure. Insurance providers don’t diagnose; they use information from evaluations to determine coverage. In direct access scenarios, you can begin PT care without a prior physician referral, but the formal diagnosis still rests with a qualified health care professional.