Accuracy of Assignment of Orthopedic Inpatients to Receive Weekend Physical Therapy Services in an Acute Care Hospital

Abstract

Purpose: To ascertain whether physical therapists (PTs) were accurately applying hospital criteria when assigning patients to weekend PT services in an acute care hospital. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on patients assigned to weekend PT services while staying in an inpatient orthopedic unit. Data extraction forms were completed to establish the accuracy of 299 entries to the weekend list. Quantitative analysis was performed to determine the percentage of inaccurate assignments and the percentage of patients who were treated on the weekend and to compare the patient profiles of those accurately and inaccurately assigned with the weekend list. Results: The percentage of subjects inaccurately assigned to weekend PT services (7.4 per cent) was relatively small. Profiles of those inaccurately assigned were not found to differ significantly from those accurately assigned. Weekend therapy staff treated the majority of inaccurately assigned patients. However, this was not found to reduce the availability of treatment to accurately assigned patients. Conclusions: These findings suggest that criteria are being used by PTs with an acceptable level of accuracy to assign patients to weekend PT services. However, further investigation is required for validation and standardization of weekend PT services criteria.