Roles of physiotherapists in primary care teams: a scoping review 

Objectives We aimed to provide an overview of the existing knowledge regarding the roles of physiotherapists in primary care teams.Design Scoping review based on the methodological framework provided by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) and updated by Levac et al (2010). Data sources and study selection A...

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Main Authors: Catherine Hudon, Megan Champoux, Amélie Poirier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-02-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/2/e092276.full
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author Catherine Hudon
Megan Champoux
Amélie Poirier
author_facet Catherine Hudon
Megan Champoux
Amélie Poirier
author_sort Catherine Hudon
collection DOAJ
description Objectives We aimed to provide an overview of the existing knowledge regarding the roles of physiotherapists in primary care teams.Design Scoping review based on the methodological framework provided by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) and updated by Levac et al (2010). Data sources and study selection A search strategy was carried out across the Medline, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete and AMED databases in June 2023. Selected articles, based on qualitative or mixed design studies, had to report on the roles of physiotherapists working in team-based primary care organisations and be published in the last 10 years.Data extraction and analysis Data were extracted by one team member and further validated by a second team member. A mixed thematic analysis based on the Competency Profile for Physiotherapists in Canada was used to identify all the roles undertaken by physiotherapists. Results The database search yielded 2324 articles. From the 13 included articles, 6 main themes emerged: conduct client assessment for musculoskeletal conditions, participate in health promotion and prevention, promote self-management support, communicate with patients, collaborate with other primary care providers and partners, and provide holistic care.Conclusions The review identified a wide variety of roles, primarily related to the treatment of musculoskeletal patients. In primary care settings, interprofessional collaboration can be hindered by a lack of knowledge regarding the roles of physiotherapists. Future studies should aim to develop effective strategies to ensure that all primary care team members have a comprehensive understanding of the roles of physiotherapists and to explore roles associated with non-traditional forms of physiotherapy practice.
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spelling doaj-art-2afb0b5ad4ce485a9e36f449e8ceaa6d2025-02-08T08:10:10ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-02-0115210.1136/bmjopen-2024-092276Roles of physiotherapists in primary care teams: a scoping review Catherine Hudon0Megan Champoux1Amélie Poirier2Département de médecine de famille et de médecine d’urgence, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, CanadaDépartement de médecine de famille et de médecine d’urgence, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, CanadaDépartement de médecine de famille et de médecine d’urgence, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, CanadaObjectives We aimed to provide an overview of the existing knowledge regarding the roles of physiotherapists in primary care teams.Design Scoping review based on the methodological framework provided by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) and updated by Levac et al (2010). Data sources and study selection A search strategy was carried out across the Medline, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete and AMED databases in June 2023. Selected articles, based on qualitative or mixed design studies, had to report on the roles of physiotherapists working in team-based primary care organisations and be published in the last 10 years.Data extraction and analysis Data were extracted by one team member and further validated by a second team member. A mixed thematic analysis based on the Competency Profile for Physiotherapists in Canada was used to identify all the roles undertaken by physiotherapists. Results The database search yielded 2324 articles. From the 13 included articles, 6 main themes emerged: conduct client assessment for musculoskeletal conditions, participate in health promotion and prevention, promote self-management support, communicate with patients, collaborate with other primary care providers and partners, and provide holistic care.Conclusions The review identified a wide variety of roles, primarily related to the treatment of musculoskeletal patients. In primary care settings, interprofessional collaboration can be hindered by a lack of knowledge regarding the roles of physiotherapists. Future studies should aim to develop effective strategies to ensure that all primary care team members have a comprehensive understanding of the roles of physiotherapists and to explore roles associated with non-traditional forms of physiotherapy practice.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/2/e092276.full
spellingShingle Catherine Hudon
Megan Champoux
Amélie Poirier
Roles of physiotherapists in primary care teams: a scoping review 
BMJ Open
title Roles of physiotherapists in primary care teams: a scoping review 
title_full Roles of physiotherapists in primary care teams: a scoping review 
title_fullStr Roles of physiotherapists in primary care teams: a scoping review 
title_full_unstemmed Roles of physiotherapists in primary care teams: a scoping review 
title_short Roles of physiotherapists in primary care teams: a scoping review 
title_sort roles of physiotherapists in primary care teams a scoping review 
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/2/e092276.full
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