A national symposium to be held next month will focus on the shortage of therapists and other allied health professionals.

The summit, which will be held Nov. 1-2 on the campus of the University of Missouri, will bring together more than 50 leading healthcare executives, academic leaders, Congressional and state legislative representatives and healthcare practitioners.

The University of Missouri-Columbia School of Health Professions and RehabCare Group Inc., a provider of physical rehabilitation management services, are sponsoring the summit.

One objective of the meeting will be to develop a framework for creating solutions for the problem. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the need for physical and occupational therapists will increase more than 30% by 2010. Besides therapists, allied health professionals include dietitians, social workers and case managers.