Evidence-Based Hand Therapy and Its Impact on Health Care Policy.

The unique and collaborative relationship between hand therapists and surgeons is invaluable in meeting the unique functional needs of clients with upper extremity conditions and injuries. Current legislative issues and research items that directly affect hand therapy and hand surgery practice include the opioid epidemic, the importance of optimizing function, value-based care, and the expansion of evidence-based medicine to support clinical decisions. This calls for the need for hand therapists to develop and use evidence that can drive policy change and optimize outcomes for clients with upper extremity conditions and injuries.