Authors (including presenting author) :
Tang LT(1), Chak YT(1), Chan LC(1), Mok YC(1), Lai CH(2), Lau CL(2), Ong KL(2), Wong WM(2), Chan SY(2), Lee SN(2), Ho SC(2)
Affiliation :
(1)Department of Physiotherapy, Pok Oi Hospital,(2)Department of Accident and Emergency, Pok Oi Hospital
Introduction :
Low back pain is one of the major causes that patients will visit the Department of Accident and Emergency (AED) in hospitals. It will affect the functional abilities of patients and usually result in hospital admission. With the provision of on-site physiotherapy service to low back pain patients in AED of Pok Oi Hospital since January 2018, it aims to reduce the admission rate of low back pain patients and to decrease the re-visit rate to AED of low back patients after being discharged from AED.
Objectives :
To investigate the effectiveness of on-site physiotherapy service provided to low back pain patients in AED
Methodology :
All low back pain patients who had received the one-session on-site physiotherapy service in AED of Pok Oi Hospital from January 2018 to September 2020 were recruited for data analysis. Outcome measures included: (1) Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), (2) Discharge destination, (3) Re-visit rate to AED within 7 days after being discharged from AED, (4) Modified Functional Ambulation Classification (MFAC), (5) Numeric Global Rate of Change Scale (NGRCS). Data of NPRS, MFAC and NGRCS were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test.
Result & Outcome :
From January 2018 to September 2020, a total of 123 low back pain patients (53 males and 70 females; mean age of 57.15 +/- 1.52 had received the one-session on-site physiotherapy service in AED of Pok Oi Hospital. With significant reduction in pain level from 6.99 +/- 2.18 to 4.39 +/- 2.31(p= 0.00), 77.2% of patients can be discharged home with or without outpatient or community physiotherapy service. Moreover, there was significant improvement in the mobility level of low back pain patients after receiving on-site physiotherapy treatment as charted by MFAC (p=0.00). The re-visit rate to AED within 7 days after being discharged from AED relating to low back pain was 4.2%. The overall subjective improvement after receiving on-site physiotherapy treatment was changed from 0.16 +/- 0.82 to 3.97 +/- 2.29 (out of 10) as charted by NGRCS (p=0.00). Conclusions: On-site physiotherapy service provided for low back pain patients in AED was effective in reducing their pain level and enhancing their mobility level. The service also helped to decrease hospital admission rate and re-visit rate to AED within 7 days after being discharged from AED for low back pain patients.
