Roles and workloads of physical therapists providing primary health care services

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the roles and workloads of physical therapists (PTs) who were providing primary health care services in Buri Ram, Chaiyaphum and Nakhon Ratchasima Provinces, the areas having the greatest number of PTs working full-time at primary health care settings. A questionnaire was distributed to 150 PTs currently providing primary health care services in those three provinces; 94 (62.7%) of them responded. Of 94 participants, 81 provided both institutional- and community-based services. The results revealed that the main roles and workloads of the participants were services for risk people and persons with chronic diseases, sub-acute conditions and disabilities, and services of assistive devices and home and/or environment modification. In each service, they conducted a lot of activities about 3-4 times a month per activity and spent about one hour for most of the activities. The number of clients receiving each service varied, depending on the activities. The information should be useful for physical therapy schools and other organizations related to physical therapy profession to establish strategies to support the full-time work at primary care settings of PTs in the future.