title: Physiotherapy practice in the private sector: organizational characteristics and models.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Even if a large proportion of physiotherapists work in the private sector worldwide, very little is known of the organizations within which they practice. Such knowledge is important to help understand contexts of practice and how they influence the quality of services and patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to: 1) describe characteristics of organizations where physiotherapists practice in the private sector, and 2) explore the existence of a taxonomy of organizational models.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional quantitative survey of 236 randomly-selected physiotherapists. Participants completed a purpose-designed questionnaire online or by telephone, covering organizational vision, resources, structures and practices. Organizational characteristics were analyzed descriptively, while organizational models were identified by multiple correspondence analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most organizations were for-profit (93.2%), located in urban areas (91.5%), and within buildings containing multiple businesses/organizations (76.7%). The majority included multiple providers (89.8%) from diverse professions, mainly physiotherapy assistants (68.7%), massage therapists (67.3%) and osteopaths (50.2%). Four organizational models were identified: 1) solo practice, 2) middle-scale multiprovider, 3) large-scale multiprovider and 4) mixed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study provide a detailed description of the organizations where physiotherapists practice, and highlight the importance of human resources in differentiating organizational models. Further research examining the influences of these organizational characteristics and models on outcomes such as physiotherapists' professional practices and patient outcomes are needed.
authors.forename: Kadija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Perreault
authors.affiliation: Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (CIRRIS), Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec, Québec City, Canada. clermont.dionne@uresp.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: Clermont E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Dionne
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossignol
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poitras
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morin
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017146:Models, Organizational; D015279:Organizational Culture; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017149:Private Sector; D011792:Quebec; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires