Physiatry
Pronunciation: fiz-ee-AT-ree
The medical specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation, concerned with diagnosing and treating conditions that affect function and quality of life.
Full Definition
Physiatry, formally known as Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), is the medical discipline that focuses on the comprehensive management of patients with functional impairments due to musculoskeletal, neurological, or cardiopulmonary conditions. Physiatry practitioners—physiatrists—use a combination of therapeutic modalities, rehabilitation programmes, and pharmacological management to optimise patient functioning. Editors should note that 'physiatry' and 'psychiatry' are frequently confused in transcription and copy-editing; the two refer to entirely separate medical fields. The term is used in formal and semi-formal clinical documents and should always be distinguished from physiotherapy.
Usage
Usage note: Not synonymous with physiotherapy. 'Physiatry' denotes a medical specialty with physician-level practitioners, while 'physiotherapy' refers to therapy delivered by allied health professionals.
In Context
- "The department of physiatry coordinated the patient's multidisciplinary rehabilitation following spinal cord injury." — Hospital department report
- "Physiatry encompasses the management of chronic pain, stroke rehabilitation, and sports medicine." — Specialty overview document