Physiotherapist as primary assessor for patients with suspected knee osteoarthritis in primary care-a randomised controlled pragmatic study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In Swedish primary care, the healthcare process for patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) can be initiated by a physician or physiotherapist assessment. However, it is unclear how the different assessments affect the healthcare processes and patient reported outcomes over time. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in health-related quality of life (HrQoL), adjusted for pain and physical function, for patients with KOA when the healthcare process is initiated by a physiotherapist assessment compared to a physician assessment in primary care.

Methods

An assessor-blinded randomised controlled pragmatic trial. Using a computer-generated list of random numbers, patients seeking primary care during 2013-2017 with suspected KOA were randomised to ei

SUBMITTER: Ho CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6626628 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature