Doctors failing to recommend PT when PT would be appropriate?

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Do you think that many patients who see their doctor complaining of pain are not referred to a PT by their doctor when PT would be the most appropriate form of treatment?

How big of a problem is this?

Just wondering what your impression of this is as a PT

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/359/11/1097

http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=News_Archive&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=51714

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMp0911423v1

 

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About 50% of the PTs I've worked with talked to me about Doctors over prescribing pain killers when PT would be better in the PTs mind. Every profession has there opinion on best course of treatment though. Because of prescription kickbacks a Doctor would be more prone to prescribe something that pays him back than send them someplace that doesn't pay them back. One of the barriers to direct access is insurance companies are paid money by drug companies, the same companies that pay doctors to prescribe certain drugs, it's not that direct access would bite the hand that feeds us it would be that it bites the hand that feeds the hand that feeds us.