Title

Same-Day Physical Therapy Consults in an Outpatient Neuromuscular Disease Physician Clinic

Authors

Evan M. Pucillo, University of St. Augustine for Health SciencesFollow
Nancy Christensen-Mayer, University of Utah
Shelly D. Poole, University of Utah
Denise M. Whitten, University of Utah
Danielle Freeman, University of Utah
Blake R. Bohe, University of Utah
Brandon R. Swensen, University of Utah
A Gordon Smith, University of Utah
Nicholas E. Johnson, University of UtahFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2016

Abstract

Background: Team-based care has been shown to offer more comprehensive benefits to patients when compared to standard physician-based care alone in clinics for chronic conditions. However, apart from grant-funded multidisciplinary clinics, there are no reports on the usage of same-day physical therapy (PT) consults within a daily outpatient neuromuscular disease (NMD) physician clinic.

Objective: To determine the impact of same-day PT consults at the University of Utah’s outpatient Clinical Neurosciences Center.

Design: A qualitative assessment and survey of patient satisfaction.

Methods: An eight question Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant patient satisfaction survey using a 5-point Likert scale was administered. Demographic data and Press-Ganey Provider Satisfaction surveys were retrospectively collected from electronic medical records for patients receiving same-day PT encounters in the neuromuscular division over 1 year.

Results: Mean (standard deviation) age was 54.22 (19.81) years for 134 patient encounters, median age was 60 years, with 76 male (57%) and 58 female (43%) patients. Mean Likert score for 61 self-reported patient satisfaction surveys for same-day PT consults was 4.87 (97.4%). Press-Ganey Provider Satisfaction scores improved from 89.9% (N=287) for the year prior to 90.8% (N=320) for the corresponding year (P=0.427). A total of 46 (75.4%) patients have either never before received PT care or never before received PT care for their NMD, 67.4% of whom were male.

Conclusion: Same-day PT consults in an outpatient NMD physician clinic demonstrated excellent patient satisfaction and improved access to specialty care. This model could potentially be implemented in other academic medical centers to improve access to rehabilitation services for patients with NMD.

Comments

Pucillo EM, Christensen-Mayer N, Poole SD, Whitten DM, Freeman D,. . . & Johnson NE. Same-day physical therapy consults in an outpatient neuromuscular disease physician clinic. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 2016(9), 493-497. doi:10.2147/JMDH.S113045

Recommended Citation

Pucillo EM, Christensen-Mayer N, Poole SD, Whitten DM, Freeman D, Bohe BR, Swensen BR, Smith AG, Johnson NE. Same-Day Physical Therapy Consults in an Outpatient Neuromuscular Disease Physician Clinic. 2016.