High Patient Satisfaction with Examination by Advanced Practice Physiotherapists in an Orthopaedic Outpatient Shoulder Clinic: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Quantitative and Qualitative Methods

Purpose: To evaluate patients' satisfaction with being examined and diagnosed in an orthopaedic outpatient shoulder clinic, determine whether a difference exists between levels of satisfaction among patients examined by advanced practice physiotherapists (APPs) and orthopaedic surgeons (OSs), and explore patients' experiences with being examined by APPs. Method: One hundred and thirty-three patients participated in a cross-sectional questionnaire study using the Visit-Specific Satisfaction Instrument (VSQ-9). Primary outcome was satisfaction with "The visit overall" (item 9). Nine patients participated in semi-structured interviews, which were thematically analyzed. Results: There was no significant difference in satisfaction with "The visit overall" between patients examined by an OS (median: 75, 1st-3rd quartiles: 75-100) and an APP (median: 100, 1st-3rd quartiles: 75-100). The VSQ-9 total score was not significantly different between groups, but some items regarding direct interaction with the health provider were scored significantly higher in the APP group. Patients were particularly satisfied with APPs' ability to explain during the consultation. Conclusions:The results showed high levels of satisfaction with examinations performed by both OSs and APPs with no difference between groups concerning "The visit overall." From a patient perspective, the results support the use of APPs to examine and diagnose selected patients in an orthopaedic outpatient shoulder clinic.