Audits of physiotherapy practice

Abstract

Recent initiatives by the Department of Health to reform the health and therapy services place great emphasis on quality assurance, highlighting the need to evaluate performance by means of clinical audit. Whilst audit is an acknowledged method of evaluating the accuracy of treatment records, and the efficiency and effectiveness of practice, it can have a broader function. This paper provides the results of three audits of physiotherapy patient records, designed to determine ( 1) the range and extent of measurement used for objective phenomena, such as joint range and muscle strength, ( 2) the range of techniques used in the management of low back pain ( LBP) and following total knee replacement ( TKR) surgery, and ( 3) the effectiveness of physiotherapy intervention in the treatment of LBP and following TKR. The audits were conducted in five hospitals in three counties of the north of England. A total of 1254 physiotherapy patient records from 1994 through 1996 met the criteria and were audited. These records were selected from outpatients, orthopaedic, and rheumatology departments. The results reveal that apart from the initial assessment, recorded in more than 86% of cases, other requirements of documentation were recorded less frequently. The type of measurements used lacked objectivity for most parameters including objective phenomena, and the range of parameters used to monitor patient outcomes was extremely limited, with functional assessment notably absent. Treatment techniques for LBP were mainly electrothermal, McKenzie, and exercise: Passive mobilising techniques were used less frequently. Following TKR the Cryocuff® featured in a large percentage of cases for the treatment of oedema and pain. Surprisingly, "straight leg raise" was frequently used to improve quadriceps strength.The audit results indicate a need to establish the reasons for the poor quality of recording amongst clinical physiotherapists, in order that the recommended Chartered Society of Physiotherapists standards can be achieved. Further avenues for research and audit are identified.

Trends in the availability and usage of electrophysical agents in physiotherapy practices from 1990 to 2010: a review

“…Reasons for non-use References Non-availability of equipment 17,30,44 Safety concerns / fear of safety 11,24,33,47 Lack of evidence for clinical effectiveness 11, 27, 28, 33, 35-37, 43, 50-52 Physiotherapist's choice 23,15 Lack of knowledge / training and unfamiliarity with the modality 23,35,52,53 Lack of research and information on EPAs 25,27 Nature of the clinical condition being treated 30 Supersession of modality e.g. MWD and H-wave 35 Level of ease of / difficulty in application 24 Area / nature of practice i.e.…”

Use of Outcome Measures in Physiotherapy Practice in Ireland from 1998 to 2003 and Comparison to Canadian Trends

“…8 The extent to which the use of standardized outcome measures has been operationalized in day-to-day practice, and the nature of such use, has been reviewed by a number of authors in Canada, 9,10 the United States, 11 and Europe. [12][13][14][15][16] During the 1990s, physiotherapists became more sensitized to the use of standardized outcome measures through local and national initiatives and the increased number of publications to support decision making through the use of such measures. Nonetheless, there is a lack of published information on how that practice has changed.…”

How a team of physiotherapists negotiated the impact of current healthcare policies on their practice: The CHAI visit

“…A more optimistic perspective of audit was provided by Gumery et al (25), who, unlike Turner et al (24) completed the audit cycle and re-audited 6 months after an initial audit of physiotherapy documentation within a cystic fibrosis unit and found substantive improvement. This demonstrates that the quality of physiotherapy documentation can be improved through re-audit and this was endorsed by the findings of this study.…”