The division of labor guidelines between PT and OT were established to clarify professional roles, prevent overlap, and promote collaborative, patient-centered rehabilitation. Which organization established this division via the ICF?

• A. World Health Organization (WHO) via ICF
• B. American Physical Therapy Association
• C. National Institutes of Health
• D. World Medical Association

Answer: (A)

Using the ICF as a shared framework to define roles is the main idea here. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health was developed and published by the World Health Organization, providing a neutral, global language to describe a person’s functioning, activities, participation, and the environmental factors that affect them. Because it comes from WHO, the ICF serves as a common reference point for multiple disciplines in rehabilitation, including physical therapy and occupational therapy. This shared framework helps clarify what each profession contributes to a patient’s rehab—PT often focusing on movement and impairment-level aspects, OT on daily activities and participation—within the same language and structure. The result is clearer collaboration, reduced unnecessary overlap, and a patient-centered approach that aligns with how care is organized across settings. The other options represent professional bodies or institutions, not the global framework established specifically through the ICF by WHO.