Unexplained physical complaints in everyday physical therapy practice in The Netherlands

Physiotherapy ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 101 ◽  
pp. e1302
Author(s):  
M. Rumke
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Physical Complaints

scholarly journals Current use and barriers and facilitators for implementation of standardised measures in physical therapy in the Netherlands

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond AHM Swinkels ◽  
Roland PS van Peppen ◽  
Harriet Wittink ◽  
Jan WH Custers ◽  
Anna JHM Beurskens
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Barriers And Facilitators

scholarly journals Direct Access to Physical Therapy for Patients With Low Back Pain in the Netherlands: Prevalence and Predictors

2014 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jantine Scheele ◽  
Frank Vijfvinkel ◽  
Marijn Rigter ◽  
Ilse C.S. Swinkels ◽  
Sita M.A. Bierman-Zeinstra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Physical Therapy ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Education Level ◽  
Direct Access ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Episodes Of Care

Background In the Netherlands, direct access to physical therapy was introduced in 2006. Although many patients with back pain visit physical therapists through direct access, the frequency and characteristics of episodes of care are unknown. Objective The purposes of this study were: (1) to investigate the prevalence of direct access to physical therapy for patients with low back pain in the Netherlands from 2006 to 2009, (2) to examine associations between mode of access (direct versus referral) and patient characteristics, and (3) to describe the severity of the back complaints at the beginning and end of treatment for direct access and referral-based physical therapy. Design A cross-sectional study was conducted using registration data of physical therapists obtained from a longitudinal study. Method Data were used from the National Information Service for Allied Health Care, a registration network of Dutch physical therapists. Mode of access (direct or referral) was registered for each episode of physical therapy care due to back pain from 2006 to 2009. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore associations between mode of access and patient/clinical characteristics. Results The percentage of episodes of care for which patients with back pain directly accessed a physical therapist increased from 28.9% in 2006 to 52.1% in 2009. Characteristics associated with direct access were: middle or higher education level (odds ratio [OR]=1.3 and 2.0, respectively), previous physical therapy care (OR=1.7), recurrent back pain (OR=1.7), duration of back pain <7 days (OR=4.2), and age >55 years (OR=0.6). Limitations The study could not compare outcomes of physical therapy care by mode of access because this information was not registered from the beginning of data collection and, therefore, was missing for too many cases. Conclusions Direct access was used for an increasing percentage of episodes of physical therapy care in the years 2006 to 2009. Patient/clinical characteristics associated with the mode of access were education level, recurrent back pain, previous physical therapy sessions, and age.

scholarly journals THU0748-HPR Recommendations on physical therapy prescription for axial spondyloarthritis in the netherlands

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
S van Weely ◽  
F van der Giesen ◽  
N Lopuhaa ◽  
F van Gaalen ◽  
T Vliet Vlieland
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis

scholarly journals An Overview of 5 Years of Patient Self-Referral for Physical Therapy in the Netherlands

2014 ◽  
Vol 94 (12) ◽  
pp. 1785-1795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilse C.S. Swinkels ◽  
Margit K. Kooijman ◽  
Peter M. Spreeuwenberg ◽  
Daniël Bossen ◽  
Chantal J. Leemrijse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Physical Therapy ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Neck Pain ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Gp Care ◽  
Existing Data

BackgroundSelf-referral for physical therapy was introduced in 2006 in the Netherlands. Internationally, debate on self-referral is still ongoing.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of self-referral for physical therapy in the Netherlands, focusing on volume of general practice and physical therapy care (incidence rates and utilization of services).DesignThe study was based on monitoring data from existing data sources.MethodsLongitudinal electronic medical record data from general practitioners (GPs) and physical therapists participating in the NIVEL Primary Care Database were used, as well as public data from Statistics Netherlands. Descriptive statistics and Poisson multilevel regression analyses were used for analyzing the data.ResultsIncidence rates of back (including low back), shoulder, and neck pain in general practice declined slightly from 2004 to 2009. No linear trends were found for number of contacts in GP care for back (including low back) and neck pain. The number of patients visiting physical therapists and the proportion of self-referrers are growing. Self-referrers receive treatment less often after initial intake than referred patients, and the mean number of visits is lower.LimitationsThis study was based on data of various patient populations from existing data sources.ConclusionsThe current study indicates that self-referral in the Netherlands has fulfilled most expectations held prior to its introduction, although no changes to the workload of GP care have been found. Use of physical therapy grew, but due to population aging and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, it remains unclear whether self-referral affects health care utilization. Therefore, cost-benefit analyses are recommended.

scholarly journals Direct Access to Physical Therapy in the Netherlands: Results From the First Year in Community-Based Physical Therapy

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (8) ◽  
pp. 936-946 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chantal J Leemrijse ◽  
Ilse CS Swinkels ◽  
Cindy Veenhof
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Physical Therapy ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Physical Therapist ◽  
Information Service ◽  
Direct Access ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Quality Aspects ◽  
Nationally Representative

BackgroundIn 2006, direct access to physical therapy was introduced in the Netherlands. Before this policy measure, evaluation and treatment by a physical therapist were only possible following referral by a physician.ObjectiveThe objectives of this study were to investigate how many patients use direct access and to establish whether these patients have a different profile than referred patients.MethodsElectronic health care data from the National Information Service for Allied Health Care (LiPZ), a nationally representative registration network of 93 Dutch physical therapists working in 43 private practices, were used.ResultsIn 2006, 28% of the patients seen by a physical therapist came by direct access. Patients with non–further-specified back problems, patients with nonspecific neck complaints, and higher-educated patients were more likely to refer themselves to a physical therapist, as were patients with health problems lasting for less than 1 month. Younger patients made more use of direct access. In addition, patients with recurring complaints more often referred themselves, as did patients who had received earlier treatment by a physical therapist. Patients with direct access received fewer treatment sessions. Compared with 2005, there was no increase in the number of patients visiting a physical therapist.LimitationsData came only from physical therapists working on general conditions in general practices. Severity of complaints is not reported.ConclusionsA large, specific group of patients utilized self-referral, but the total number of patients seen by a physical therapist remained the same. In the future, it is important to evaluate the consequences of direct access, both on quality aspects and on cost-effectiveness.

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