Implementation of a Hospital-Based Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency Program: A Case Report Describing Clinical Outcomes, Productivity, and Perceived Benefits

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Currently, there are 264 credentialed physical therapy residencies across the United States. Most residency programs take a limited number of residents per year, thus the opportunity for the projected 10,721 physical therapy students graduating in 2019 was relatively small. One of the challenges to developing a new physical therapy residency is convincing the host institution that it will be beneficial in the long-term. The purpose of this case report was to describe the effect of implementing a hospital-based orthopaedic physical therapy residency program on clinical outcomes, productivity, and the perceived benefits of the residency program by staff physical therapists and hospital administrators. Case Description. The Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) was used to assess treatment outcomes for 2 years before the start of the residency program (2007–2008) and for each of the 4 years after the inauguration of the first resident (2009–2012). A total of 3,717 patient outcome scores were used in the analysis. Productivity, measured in “patient visits” and zip code data, representing the service area, was also collected. In addition, staff physical therapists and administrators completed a survey to determine their perceived benefits of the residency program. Outcomes. There was a steady improvement in clinical outcomes from 2007 to 2012. In 2007, the average change in the PSFS was 3.81 and in 2012, 4 years after the start of the residency program, the average change in PSFS increased 37% to 5.21. The number of patient visits increased to 60,983 (+17,071), and patients were travelling from outside the service area (41 additional zip codes) to receive treatment at the hospital from staff physical therapists with specialized training. Survey results indicate that both staff physical therapists and hospital administrators had a very positive view of the impact of the residency program on job satisfaction, professional development, staff retention, and success of the department. Discussion and Conclusion. The results of this study suggest that hospital-based orthopaedic physical therapy residency programs have the potential to improve clinical outcomes, increase productivity, and create a “culture of excellence.” It provides some justification for hospitals and other physical therapy facilities to invest in residency training.