Clinician researchers at the Kolling Institute supported a large-scale trial which found that physiotherapist-led care significantly reduced emergency department waiting and treatment times for people with musculoskeletal conditions.
Close to 1500 patients were involved in the trial across five emergency departments, with patients receiving either standard care by emergency physicians or nurse practitioners – or physiotherapist-led care.
Dubbed RESHAP-ED, the University of Sydney trial found there were significant improvements in the musculoskeletal care provided by physiotherapists, with better patient satisfaction and a reduction in the time spent in the emergency department.
The research showed that patients who received the physio-led care spent an hour less in the emergency department, were assessed 40 minutes faster and were three times more likely to be seen within the recommended triage timeframes.
Importantly, it found that the improvements did not compromise patient outcomes or safety.
Chief Investigator, Associate Professor Gustavo Machado from the University’s Institute for Musculoskeletal Health said the research comes at an important time with musculoskeletal conditions leading to more than 1.3 million ED visits in Australia each year, which place demand on already crowded hospitals.
“Our trial showed that changing who provides initial care to physiotherapists improved patient satisfaction, reduced the time patients spent in the emergency department, and saved hospitals money,” he said.
Kolling Institute clinician researcher and co-author Professor Lisa Harvey said with emergency department crowding one of the greatest pressures facing the health system, this trial offers a promising way to create capacity without compromising patient safety or clinical outcomes.
“These findings provide strong evidence for health services to consider physiotherapists as part of the frontline workforce for people with musculoskeletal conditions,” she said.
This trial also demonstrated the financial benefits of the approach, with an economic evaluation confirming that physiotherapist-led care in emergency departments could save NSW hospitals $19 million a year.
The research has been published in The Lancet.
