Patients and Advanced Practice Physiotherapists’ Experiences and Perceptions in a Specialized Spine Model of Care: A Qualitative Study

Purpose: Models of care using advanced practice physiotherapists (APPTs) have been proposed as a solution to improve health care access and efficiency for patients with spinal disorders referred to specialized spine surgery care. The objective was to explore the experiences and perceptions of both APPTs and patients with spinal disorders within a specialized spinal surgery model of care. Method: APPTs and patients with spinal disorders who provided or received care as part of a randomized controlled trial evaluating a new spinal surgery model of care were invited to participate in this qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were performed to identify themes related to their experiences and perceptions of this model of care. Verbatim transcripts were coded and analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis. Results: Seven APPTs and nine patients were included. Three main themes emerged from our analysis: (1) The standard medical model of care for spinal disorders is problematic; (2) the advanced practice physiotherapy model of care is a great solution to help manage patients with spinal disorders; but (3) there are areas for improvement in this model. Conclusions: Overall, patients and APPTs were positive regarding this advanced practice physiotherapy model of care as a solution to improve health care access and quality.