Satisfaction levels of patients with musculoskeletal problems treated with physical therapy modalities: A multi-center study

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to assess patients' level of satisfaction with physical therapy modalities from different centers in T & uuml;rkiye. Patients and methods: In this cross-sectional study, a "Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire in the Treatment with the Physical Therapy Modalities" was created by the Turkish Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the Physical Therapy Modalities Working Group and it was applied to a total of 2,466 patients (847 males, 1,619 females; mean age: 51.8 +/- 14.6 years; range, 18 to 90 years) from 13 different hospitals. The participants were selected from patients who were treated in the physical therapy and rehabilitation departments of nine universities and four training and research hospitals for musculoskeletal complaints. The questionnaire included questions assessing demographic data, disease characteristics and level of satisfaction with the treatment program. Consecutive patients that were enrolled in treatment programs for musculoskeletal problems were included in the study. Results: The cumulative rate of patients who were very satisfied and satisfied with these treatments was 54.1%. The higher the education level, the higher the satisfaction rate was. The satisfaction level of the currently employed was higher than that of retirees. The patients who were most satisfied with physical therapy were those who presented with cervical spinal complaints. The rate of patients who never received physical therapy before was 51.5%, indicating higher satisfaction levels. Outpatient physical therapy patients reported higher satisfaction rates than inpatients. The patients conveyed their satisfaction with the therapist performing the treatment and expressed their intention to choose physical therapy again, if necessary. Conclusion: Patients express high levels of satisfaction with physical therapy modalities, and they encounter minimal or no issues in practice.