Perception of Filipino physicians on the roles and scope of practice of physical therapy in the Philippines: A multi-method quantitative study

Abstract

Introduction: Physical therapists (PTs) are licensed practitioners who can assess, diagnose, and provide treatment interventions that restore patients to optimal function. While PTs can deliver complete management plans, the practice of physical therapy (PT) in the Philippines follows a referral system where physicians are the first contact of the patient, emphasizing the importance of physician's perception towards the role of PTs and scope of PT service. This study aimed to determine the internal consistency of the Perception on Physical Therapists Questionnaire (PoPTQ), and to use this tool to report the existing perceptions of Filipino physicians on the practice of PT. Method: This study was divided into two phases and utilized a multi-method quantitative research design. For Phase 1 (psychometric), 18 questionnaires administered to Filipino physicians were used to compute Cronbach's α of PoPTQ. A total of 134 questionnaires of the same population were analyzed for Phase 2 (cross-sectional), in which descriptive statistics and cross tab analysis were used to report the respondents' perceptions. Both phases utilized online means of data gathering done via convenience sampling. Results: Phase 1 revealed a Cronbach's α value of 0.528 for all items of PoPTQ. Phase 2 showed that physicians who have attended lectures discussing the roles of PTs or have experience with working with them have a higher referral rate than those with no prior exposure to PTs. Discussion: Filipino physicians believe that PTs can establish strong patient-therapist relationships, treat different patients, and acknowledge the roles of PTs in clinical and research settings. Data suggest that adequate foundational knowledge, positive perceptions, and high awareness of PTs' roles and scope of practice are observed among Filipino physicians. However, there remains a need to increase collaboration opportunities between PTs and physicians in their academic years and programs that focus on the promotion of PT roles and scope of practice.