title: Initial assessment and follow-up by a physiotherapist of patients with back pain referred to a spinal clinic.
abstract: To reduce waiting times and costs, a specially trained physiotherapist was employed to review 100 patients with back pain referred by general practitioners (GPs) to a spinal clinic; 78% proved to have a spinal disorder. Only 24% of the original referrals needed to see the surgeon, with 76% being successfully managed by the physiotherapist. Six per cent of referrals were deemed inappropriate and 16% of patients failed to attend. To evaluate the physio-therapist's assessments each case was discussed with the consultant surgeon, and the appropriateness of the management of each patient was similarly investigated. With appropriate training and a good working relationship with the surgeon, a chartered physiotherapist can successfully screen patients in a low back pain clinic, such that the efficiency of the unit is improved by improving the throughput whilst maintaining the same standard of care.
authors.affiliation: Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Hospital, Exeter, Devon, UK.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Hourigan
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Weatherley
mesh_terms: D001416:Back Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation*