Physiotherapy as part of primary health care, Italy.
Bull World Health Organ
; 100(11): 669-675, 2022 Nov 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2308050
ABSTRACT
Objective:
To describe the Family and Community Physiotherapist model, which aims to incorporate rehabilitation services within primary health care in Tuscany, Italy.Methods:
The Department of Health Professions of the Central Tuscany local health authority designed the model during 2020-2021. We describe the four phases of the organizational case study implementation of the model, namely (i) analysis of the political and organizational framework, as well as determination of changing health-care needs; (ii) model co-design and training of multiprofessional health-care workers (local general practitioners, physiatrists and geriatricians); (iii) delivery and surveillance of rehabilitation services; and (iv) evaluation.Findings:
During the initial roll-out of the project in April-December 2021, general practitioners referred 165 patients with a mean age of 83.7 years (standard deviation 11.1) to the Family and Community Physiotherapist. Interventions were mainly activated for patients with comorbidities (64/165; 38.8%), followed by those with long-term immobilization issues (36/165; 21.8%). The most commonly provided intervention was counselling, contributing to the achievement of objectives for 127 patients (77.0%). A full rehabilitation path was proposed for only 10 patients (6.1%). No additional costs were incurred by the health authority during the implementation of the model.Conclusion:
Our model facilitated the provision of rehabilitative care in the community, preventing the exacerbation of chronic conditions and meeting the population health needs in non-hospital environments. The model overcame the typical lack of integration within health-care services with flexibility, promoting care proximity solutions to cope with health challenges such as an ageing population and the coronavirus disease.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Physical Therapy Modalities
/
Coronavirus Infections
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Bull World Health Organ
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
BLT.22.288339
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