A Physiotherapy Triage Service for Orthopaedic Surgery: An Effective Strategy for Reducing Wait Times

Abstract

More than three-fourths of patients referred by primary-care physicians did not need to see a surgeon and were able to be managed by an experienced orthopaedic physiotherapist. This triage model could have considerable impact on orthopaedic wait times in Canada by minimizing unnecessary referrals; the model could also promote timely and conservative management of non-surgical conditions by physiotherapists.