Criteria:
- Musculoskeletal injuries (excluding fracture or dislocation)
- No red flag pathology
Procedure:
There are two pathways available based on patient preference. The only exception is when a patient is unable to communicate in English. In this case, a face-to-face appointment with a translator, if necessary, must be booked by ED reception.
Referral Process:
- Please (doctor/ANP) complete a referral form
Pathways:
- Face-to-face Appointment in the Main Physiotherapy Department:
- ED reception will book the patient into the review clinic via iPM (clinic code: PED)
- The patient receives the referral to bring into appointment
- Telephone triage service (details):
- Typically has a shorter wait time compared to the face-to-face service
- Referral is sent via internal mail
- The patient will call for an assessment during specific service times
Notes: During our pilot study, this care pathway was broadly acceptable to patients and effective in minimising delays. For more details, refer to our quality improvement study.
Links
- MUH Physiotherapy referral form
- MUH Physiotherapy telephone triage service
- MUH Physiotherapy Patient Information Sheet
- Kelly, M., Higgins, A., Murphy, A. et al. A telephone assessment and advice service within an ED physiotherapy clinic: a single-site quality improvement cohort study. Arch Physiother 11, 4 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40945-020-00098-4