Physical Therapist as Primary Assessor for Patients With Knee Pain in Primary Care

In order to manage the future increase in osteoarthritis consultation, patients with osteoarthritis could be assessed by a physical therapist first, so that other patients with more severe conditions could get faster access to a primary care physician. In Swedish primary care, physicians and physical therapists are primary assessors for patients with suspected knee osteoarthritis. However, it is unclear if there are any differences between these managements in improving health-related quality of life (HrQoL), pain, physical function and self-efficacy. There are a limited amount of studies about the impact on HrQoL, pain intensity, self-efficacy and physical performance in patients with knee pain being assessed and evaluated by a physical therapist as a primary assessor. The overall purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects on self-rated HrQoL, pain intensity, self-efficacy and physical performance with either a physical therapist or a physician as primary assessor for patients with knee pain within primary health care. Problem statements Which effect does a clinical pathway with a physical therapist as primary assessor for patients with knee pain… 1. … have on self-rated HrQoL compared with a physician as primary assessor? 2. … have on self-rated pain intensity compared with a physician as primary assessor? 3. … have on physical performance compared with a physician as primary assessor? 4. … have on self-efficacy compared with a physician as primary assessor? It is expected that this study will show the effects of two different primary assessors for patients with knee pain consulting primary health care. The results could clarify which profession that is most appropriate to be the primary assessor for patients with knee pain in primary health care.