Implementation of community physiotherapy in primary care: one-year results of an on-call physiotherapy service

Matteo Paci; Lapo Bianchi; Elisa Buonandi; Laura Rosiello; Sandra Moretti

doi:10.1186/s40945-023-00176-3

Authors

Matteo Paci Dipartimento delle Professioni Tecnico‑Sanitarie, Azienda USL Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5180-8355
Lapo Bianchi Dipartimento delle Professioni Tecnico‑Sanitarie, Azienda USL Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy
Elisa Buonandi Dipartimento delle Professioni Tecnico‑Sanitarie, Azienda USL Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy
Laura Rosiello Dipartimento delle Professioni Tecnico‑Sanitarie, Azienda USL Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy
Sandra Moretti Dipartimento delle Professioni Tecnico‑Sanitarie, Azienda USL Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40945-023-00176-3

Keywords:

Primary health care, Referral and consultation, Physical therapy modalities, Program evaluation, Outcome and process assessment

Abstract

Background

Primary health care systems have a key role in meeting health needs of community, including function. The aim of this paper is to describe the population involved in the Community Physiotherapist project and their health outcomes over a one-year period.

Methods

The Community Physiotherapist is an on-call service which requires a request by general practitioners or medical specialists. Reason for prescription, waiting time for service delivery, diagnostic categories, provided intervention, number of interventions and outcomes were recorded for everyone included in the project. Possible differences in characteristics between individuals referred by medical specialists and general practitioners were also investigated.

Results

From January to December 2022, 409 individuals were referred to the Community Physiotherapist pathway. Functional goals were achieved in 79.5% of interventions, without reported adverse events. In most cases physiotherapists provided counselling or caregiver training and 3.3% of individuals needed a full rehabilitation program. The groups of individuals referred by the two types of prescribers showed no significant differences, apart, as expected, from their median age.

Conclusions

The introduction of the Community Physiotherapist model within the primary care setting allows to provide appropriate, effective and safe interventions. Sharing the project among all the health professionals helped to support its appropriateness and effectiveness. Results also indicate that a new organizational model, such as the Community Physiotherapist, will take a long time to be implemented.