Active patient-therapist collaboration during physiotherapy treatment

Abstract

Purpose: This study explores how physiotherapists collaborate with their patients in clinical practice. Method: Six young physiotherapists were interviewed about their clinical experiences with special focus on how they collaborated with the patients. Clinical practice was defined as knowledge-based practice in accordance with the theoretical model designed by The Norwegian Knowledge Centre for Health Services. Research, clinical experiences and active patient participation are important elements in this model. The goal of the analyses has been to develop descriptions of interactions which can illuminate collaboration practices. Results: Five examples selected from the interviews are presented in the article. These illustrate different ways of encouraging active patient participation in clinical practice. The sixth example illustrates the reflections of an experienced psychomotor physiotherapist on this issue. Conclusion: These examples illustrate how physiotherapists collaborate with their patient in clinical practice, illuminating an area of importance for others working in this field. This is an area of study that deserves greater attention, and it is hoped that this article will inspire further research. Keywords: Collaboration, clinical practice, active participation