RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Practice patterns and utilization of physical therapists (PTs) affiliated with Hemophilia Treatment Centers (HTCs) in the United States (US) are not well known. AIMS: Describeâ¯utilization,â¯roleâ¯responsibilities and practice patternsâ¯of US HTCâ¯PTs. Identifyâ¯practice patternsâ¯specifically focusing onâ¯assessment and treatment of pain. Recognize gaps in utilization and role responsibilities of PTs as part of the multidisciplinaryâ¯team and suggest guidelines for PT involvement within the HTC. METHODS: Respondents were a subset of a convenience sample of healthcare providers who responded to a non-validated survey developed by a multi-disciplinary panel of haemophilia experts. RESULTS: A 33.0% response-rate (n = 59) representing all regions of US HTCs was achieved. Those working ≥10 hours per week were more likely to provide nutrition education (P = .026) and surgical options education (P < .001). Those who billed insurance for their services during comprehensive visits were more likely to provide education regarding surgical options (P = .046). The majority of PTs (95.0%) evaluated pain regardless of time spent in clinic and felt comfortable treating pain. Fifty-eight percent used a formal pain measurement tool and more likely to use a formal pain measurement tool if billing insurance (P = .004). Top five non-pharmacologic treatments recommended for pain management included splints/braces (84.8%), aquatic therapy (74.6%), orthotics (71.2%), surgical options (47.5%) and yoga (32.2%). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated PT utilization across HTC centres varies widely. Gaps in care may be addressed through salary support, funded education, greater regional/national collaboration of PTs specializing in bleeding disorders and advocacy for insurance coverage for appropriate services.