title: Evaluation of physiotherapists as primary assessors of patients with musculoskeletal disorders seeking primary health care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate primary physiotherapist assessment and management of patients with musculoskeletal disorders in primary care, and to compare patient satisfaction with primary assessment by a physiotherapist or a general practitioner (GP).
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational, retrospective cohort study reviewing medical records, and a separate consecutive non-randomised study of patient satisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary healthcare centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and thirty-two patients with musculoskeletal disorders, primarily assessed by a physiotherapist. Fifty-one of these patients primarily assessed by a physiotherapist and 42 patients assessed by a GP answered a patient satisfaction questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary assessment and management of patients with musculoskeletal disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from medical records within 3-month after the visit, and patient satisfaction questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-five percent (367/432) of patients did not need to see a GP. Serious pathologies were found among the 6% (26/432) of patients who were referred to a GP by a physiotherapist, but no serious pathologies were found among the 9% (39/432) of patients who subsequently returned for a GP appointment for the same disorder. Patients assessed by a physiotherapist were more satisfied with the information received about their disorder and self-care than patients assessed by a GP. Patients also had higher confidence in the ability of physiotherapists to assess their disorder (P<0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physiotherapists can be considered primary assessors of patients with musculoskeletal disorders in primary care as few patients needed additional assessment by a GP, patients with confirmed serious pathologies were identified by the physiotherapists, and patients were satisfied with assessment by a physiotherapist.
authors.affiliation: Rehab Vast, Vc Brinken, County Council of Ostergotland, Motala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Maria Landén
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ludvigsson
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Enthoven
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D059825:Physical Therapists; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult