Implementation of community physiotherapy in primary care: one-year results of an on-call physiotherapy service.
Matteo Paci, Lapo Bianchi, Elisa Buonandi and 2 others
PMID 38098087WHAT IT FOUND
Collaboratively set functional goals were met in 79.5% of interventions for 409 people referred to an Italian community physiotherapy service, with no adverse events reported.
This describes service delivery, not proof of effectiveness.
Key findings
01409 individuals were referred between January and December 2022; their median age was 85.9 years and 165 were male.
02Functional goals were achieved in 79.5% of interventions, with no significant differences among clinical categories or consultancy activation areas.
03No adverse events were reported, and counselling or caregiver training were provided in most cases.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
No control group or comparison with usual care is reported, so the study cannot show that the service caused the observed outcomes. The main outcome was achievement of functional goals set collaboratively with patients, caregivers and prescribers, not a validated clinical outcome. The service was delivered by one Italian local health organization and was available in only one functional territorial unit, representing about half of the whole population. The participants were referred to a community physiotherapy service and had a median age of 85.9 years, so results may not apply to younger populations or people without functional decline. The paper reports an internal inconsistency in GIROT referral counts: the results text reports 99 individuals, while Table 3 reports 98 in the GIROT group. The service was limited to tertiary prevention at the time of the report, and no cost or economic analysis is provided. Outcome information was recorded by physiotherapists involved in the service, and no independent outcome assessment is described.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not state funding or conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this service is effective or safe compared with usual care. It had no control group, and the main outcome was achievement of collaboratively set functional goals, not a validated clinical outcome.