The ability of Austrian registered physiotherapists to recognize serious pathology.

BACKGROUND

Serious pathology masking as musculoskeletal conditions is rare, still it is pertinent that physiotherapists can recognise it. This ability has been investigated internationally, however the decision-making skills of registered Austrian physiotherapists has not been examined. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of registered Austrian physiotherapists to make accurate keep-refer decisions based on clinical vignettes.

METHODS

In this national survey registered Austrian (self-)employed physiotherapists were recruited and completed 12 clinical vignettes. Correctly answered vignettes were listed as percentages.

RESULTS

479 physiotherapists participated in the study. The response rate of the self-employed physiotherapists was 8.0%. On average participants classified 70.5% of the musculoskeletal cases, 79.4% of the non-critical medical cases, and 53.3% of the critical medical cases correctly.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that, despite the limitations of using written clinical vignettes, registered Austrian physiotherapists welcome additional training to improve their skills in identifying serious pathology. Targeted training and educational programs including new and more detailed educational clinical vignettes relevant for non-direct access countries are needed to enhance physiotherapists' diagnostic skills and decision-making processes.