mTBI evaluation, management, and referral to allied healthcare: practices of first-line healthcare professionals.

ABSTRACT

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To gain an understanding of current evaluation practices, post-injury recommendations, and referrals to allied healthcare professions (AHP) by first-line healthcare professionals (FHPs) providing care for people with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). RESEARCH DESIGN: Survey study. METHODS AND PROCEDURES Physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and athletic trainers (n = 126) completed an online survey, including Likert scale and free response question relating to mTBI evaluation, management, and referral practices. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: FHPs surveyed reported being confident in their ability to evaluate patients with suspected mTBI, relying most heavily on patient-reported symptoms and physical signs as methods of evaluation. Most FHPs reported making recommendations to compensate for the symptoms experienced following mTBI diagnosis. In contrast, FHPs expressed challenges in the evaluation and management of symptoms associated with mTBI along with limited knowledge of and referrals to AHPs. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, FHPs feel confident in the diagnosis of mTBI but experience assessment and management challenges. AHPs are underutilized on mTBI management teams calling for a need for multidisciplinary collaboration on research, education, and rehabilitation efforts to optimally care for people experiencing mTBI symptoms.