Vicki Parravicini1, Andrea Jeffrey1, Karen Lucas1, Mr Michael Harris1
1Queensland Health – Metro South, Brisbane, Australia
Background: The Physiotherapy Musculoskeletal Management Clinic and Conservative Management Service (PMMC and CMS) is an allied health-led multi-professional conservative management alternative pathway for clients referred to the Redland Hospital Orthopaedic Specialist Outpatient Service. The aim of the service is to reduce the Orthopaedic wait list and support timely access to appropriate care. The service provides patients with earlier access to an expert assessment by an Advanced Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, whose role is to assess, diagnose and provide multi-professional allied health case management. This management includes physiotherapy, nutrition and dietetics and psychology.
Objectives: The purpose of this project is to improve access to the service by enhancing Telehealth capability and utilisation within the Redland Hospital PMMC and CMS. This project will deliver services by the allied health team at the Redlands facility directly to the client’s home. It will provide an alternate option to benefit clients who live on the Bay islands, mainland clients whose work commitments limit access to Redlands Hospital during business hours, and those who have difficulties accessing the service.
Project Implementation: December 2018 – June 2019.
Project Evaluation: Project Evaluation will be completed in July 2019 with data to be presented at the Allied Health Conference in August.
The project evaluation will include: Demographic information, Clinical outcome measures, Episode details, Discharge outcomes, patient satisfaction and Clinic productivity data (Occasions of Service, FTA/Cancellations rates). Barriers, enablers and key lessons learned will also be discussed.
Discussion: Currently 80% of face to face clients who attend the PMMC and CMS at Redland Hospital remain off the Orthopaedic Wait List. The aim of this project is to examine whether Telehealth can provide improved access for clients and deliver similar clinical outcomes compared to face to face. It will also aim to establish Telehealth within the existing PMMC and CMS model of care and increase the application of Telehealth by other allied health professions and teams.
Biography:
Vicki is an Advanced Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist working in the Physiotherapy Musculoskeletal Management Clinic and Conservative Management Service at Redland Hospital. She is the team leader of a multidisciplinary allied health team that aims to reduce the Orthopaedic Wait List by providing earlier assessment, diagnosis and multi-professional allied health case management. She has a Masters Degree in Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapy and was a physiotherapist at the Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast for Track and Field. She has also worked as a physiotherapist with the Queensland Academy of Sport Track and Field Jumps Squad and has in interest in Telehealth.