title: Patient awareness of physical medicine and rehabilitation.
abstract: The present study examined the extent to which patients referred to a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) could correctly identify the name or essential scope of the specialty the physiatrist practiced. The hypothesis, based on the author's experiences as a staff physiatrist, was that most patients would not be aware of the name and scope of the specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation. This prospective study involved the administering of a questionnaire to 202 consecutive referrals to a University-affiliated PM&R outpatient clinic. Of the respondents, 19% were able to correctly identify that the physician they were referred to was either a PM&R specialist, a physical medicine specialist, a rehabilitation specialist or a physiatrist. Among the incorrect responses, orthopedist, neurologist and rheumatologist were most prevalent, and 33% of the respondents thought the physiatrist performed surgery. The implications of the findings are discussed. There continues to be a need to educate the public about the scope of practice of physiatry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Western Ontario, University Hospital, London, Canada.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Finestone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010810:Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012046:Rehabilitation; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires