Do patients discharged from advanced practice physiotherapy-led clinics re-present to specialist medical services?
Aust Health Rev
; 42(3): 334-339, 2018 Jun.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28501050
ABSTRACT
Objective The aim of the present study was to determine the rates of re-referral to specialist out-patient clinics for patients previously managed and discharged from an advanced practice physiotherapy-led service in three metropolitan hospitals. Methods A retrospective audit was undertaken of 462 patient cases with non-urgent musculoskeletal conditions discharged between 1 April 2014 and 30 March 2015 from three metropolitan hospitals. These patients had been discharged from the physiotherapy-led service without requiring specialist medical review. Rates and patterns of re-referral to specialist orthopaedic, neurosurgical, chronic pain, or rheumatology services within 12 months of discharge were investigated. Results Forty-six of the 462 patients (10.0%) who were managed by the physiotherapy-led service were re-referred to specialist medical orthopaedic, neurosurgical, chronic pain or rheumatology departments within 12 months of discharge. Only 22 of these patients (4.8%) were re-referred for the same condition as managed previously and discharged. Conclusions Ninety-five per cent of patients with non-urgent musculoskeletal conditions managed by an advanced practice physiotherapy-led service at three metropolitan hospitals did not re-present to access public specialist medical services for the same condition within 12 months of discharge. This is the first time that re-presentation rates have been reported for patients managed in advanced practice physiotherapy services and the findings support the effectiveness of these models of care in managing demand for speciality out-patient services. What is known about the topic? Advanced practice physiotherapy-led services have been implemented to address the needs of patients referred with non-urgent musculoskeletal conditions to hospital specialist out-patient services. Although this model is widely used in Australia, there has been very little information about whether patients managed in these services subsequently re-present for further specialist medical care. What does this paper add? This paper identifies that the majority (95%) of patients managed by an advanced practice physiotherapy-led service did not re-present for further medical care for the same condition within 12 months of discharge. What are the implications for practitioners? This paper supports the use of advanced practice physiotherapy-led services in the management of overburdened neurosurgical and orthopaedic specialist out-patient waiting lists.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Encaminhamento e Consulta
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Especialização
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Doenças Musculoesqueléticas
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Fisioterapeutas
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adult
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Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
Oceania
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Aust Health Rev
Ano de publicação:
2018
Tipo de documento:
Article