Mark
I work in private which doesn't equate to say the NHS in the UK where
there is tremendous pressure with waiting lists etc. That said, I work
on 45 (first appt) and 30 subsequent. However I am something of a rarity
as the majority of private practices here (Perth. Australia) work on
40/20 and some even less. Some even double book- the worst case I know
of is a physio (who owns a group of about 5 practices) double-booking on
15 minute slots - virtually all treatment is ET/hotpack/a few mobs, with
him running between several patients changing modalities (my friend
works there so this is true).
My additional time means that I get less money as I am paid a percentage
of what I bring in. However having previously done several locums I
believe that going on what I have seen and heard my clinical notes are,
perhaps, some of the few that (a) would stand up in court and (b) could
be followed by a different physio without an explanation from me. In
addition, my philosophy is that the purpose of physiotherapy is either
to get people better or at least better able to manage their own problem
(obviously there are a few exceptions to this) without endless visits
for passive treatment. This extra time allows me to properly explain how
to do home exercises/rehab and the pathology. Despite this I still spend
plenty of extra time (unpaid) writing letters to GPs/Consultants/admin
etc.
One big problem we have here (in private) is that virtually all
MVA/Workers Comp are paid for and the patients are, in many cases,
totally over-treated. HOwever, having said all of the above there are
some brilliant physios here who get excellent results from patients who
have 'done the rounds'. They charge more, have long waiting lists
(private) but often spend even longer times with the patient.
Dave R
-----Original Message-----
From: - for physiotherapists in education and practice
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Anne Forrester
Sent: 08 April 2004 00:12
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Patient treatment times
Dear Mark
In the outpatient dept I work in we have 30min appointment times
generally.
Paricularly for first assessments of back and neck problems, I find
this
time too short to do the job properly, but workload pressure makes
booking a
double slot for this almost impossible. I hear of other depts that only
have
20min slots and do wonder how treatment and record keeping can be done
to a
good standard.
Anne
>From: Mark Healy <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: - for physiotherapists in education and practice
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Patient treatment times
>Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2004 17:19:29 -0700
>
>Dear all,
>
>does anybody have evidence, either statistical or practical, relating
>to the treatment times of patients seen in an out-patient setting i.e.
1
>hour initial appointments and 30 minute follow up appointments, as
>opposed to 40 minutes initial assessements and 20 minute follow ups?
>
>Would be grateful to hear from anyone with information relating to the
>benefits of one over the other,
>
>With thanks,
>
>Mark
>
>
>
>Destiny is not a matter of chance;it is a matter of choice.
>
>---------------------------------
>Do you Yahoo!?
>Yahoo! Small Business $15K Web Design Giveaway - Enter today
_________________________________________________________________
It's fast, it's easy and it's free. Get MSN Messenger today!
http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger
|