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To explore older persons' perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on participating in community activities after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation.Mixed-methods study design. Participants were older adults who were discharged home following inpatient rehabilitation. Interviews were conducted with 70 participants, with a variety of diagnoses, 8 weeks after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Frequency of participation in domestic, leisure/work and outdoor activities was measured using the Frenchay Activities Index (FAI). Qualitative analysis was completed using qualitative content analysis and triangulated with FAI scores.In all, 70 older adults (mean age: 73.0 years, SD: 9.9; 59% female) participated in the study. The overarching theme was that participants felt socially isolated following discharge from rehabilitation, with COVID-19 restrictions increasing perceptions of social isolation and complicating their return to participating in community activities. The four categories informing the overarching theme were as follows: physical health was the primary limitation to participation in community activities; COVID-19 restrictions limited participation in social activities and centre-based physical rehabilitation; low uptake of videoconferencing to facilitate socialisation and rehabilitation; and reduced incidental physical activity. Mean FAI score was 21.2 (SD 7.8), indicating that participants were moderately active. Participants most commonly performed domestic activities (mean: 10.0, SD: 4.1), followed by outdoor activities (mean: 6.6, SD: 3.5) and leisure/work activities (mean: 4.5, SD: 2.5).COVID-19 restrictions exacerbated perceptions of social isolation and the limitations already imposed by poor physical health after discharge from rehabilitation. The findings highlight the need for rehabilitation that addresses the psychological and social dimensions of community reintegration.

To identify client and service factors associated with changes in health-related quality of life following community rehabilitation.We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study within a community rehabilitation program. Health-related quality of life was measured using the EuroQol five Dimensions, five response level version (EQ-5D-5L). Our primary outcome was the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) rating of overall health. Analyses were stratified by diagnostic group: traumatic orthopaedic, elective orthopaedic, neurological, medical, and other. The association between client and service factors and discharge VAS scores, adjusted for baseline scores were determined using multivariable regression.EQ-5D-5L data were available for 981 of 1350 participants. Treatment intensity was associated with a seven-point increase (Treatment intensity is a modifiable service factor that may positively influence health-related quality of life.Implications for rehabilitationIn addition to providing information on client progress towards attainment of individual treatment goals, routine collection of patient reported outcome measures within a community rehabilitation program can elicit information that can inform rehabilitation service improvement.Clients of a community rehabilitation program with a neurological or medical condition demonstrate the least improvement in overall health profile and may require additional rehabilitation or supports.Across all diagnostic groups, problems with anxiety and depression were least likely to improve following receipt of community rehabilitation. Improving access to psychological services and associated referral pathways in community rehabilitation services could improve these outcomes.Initiatives aimed at increasing intensity of therapy such as targeted triage and resource allocation, may improve health-related quality of life for clients of a community rehabilitation program with traumatic orthopaedic conditions.For clients with a neurological condition, initiatives aimed at increasing intensity of therapy may improve health-related quality of life in more complex patients with comorbid health conditions.

Allied health assistants (AHAs) are important members of the health workforce and key to meeting population health needs. Previous studies exploring the role and utility of AHAs from multiple stakeholder perspectives suggest AHAs remain poorly utilised in many healthcare settings. This qualitative study explores the experiences and perspectives of AHAs working in healthcare settings to determine the contextual factors influencing their role, and mechanisms to maximise their utility. We conducted semi-structured interviews using purposive sampling with 21 AHAs, from one regional and three metropolitan health services in Australia, between February and July 2021. We used a team-based framework approach to analyse the data. Four major themes were identified: 1) AHAs' interpersonal relationships, 2), clarity and recognition of AHA roles and role boundaries, 3) AHAs accessing education and professional development, and 4) the professional identity of the AHA workforce. Underpinning each of these themes were relationships between AHAs and other healthcare professionals, their patients, health services, and the wider AHA workforce. This study may inform initiatives to optimise the utility of AHAs and increase their role in, and impact on, patient care. Such initiatives include the development and implementation of guidelines and competencies to enhance the clarity of AHAs' scope of practice, the establishment of standardised educational pathways for AHAs, and increased engagement with the AHA workforce to make decisions about their scope of practice. These initiatives may precede strategies to advance the AHA career structure.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate change in the effectiveness of clinical supervision of physiotherapists who took part in a clinical supervision training programme. Method: Our pre–post study design used both quantitative and qualitative methods. The programme consisted of three interactive sessions held with physiotherapists from a metropolitan public health network in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The effectiveness of clinical supervision of supervisees was measured using the Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale (MCSS–26). The effectiveness of clinical supervision from the supervisors’ perspective was measured using a clinical supervisor questionnaire. The physiotherapists’ experience of participating in the training programme was then explored in focus groups. Results: A total of 36 physiotherapists participated in the training programme. Twelve weeks later, the physiotherapists (35) reported a moderate improvement in the effectiveness of clinical supervision, with a mean improvement of 5.4 units (95% CI: 2.0, 8.9; p = 0.003) on the MCSS–26 (score range 0–104). After training, a higher proportion of physiotherapists reported receiving effective clinical supervision (97% after vs. 53% before; p = 0.001). In the focus groups, the physiotherapists reported greater flexibility in their approach to clinical supervision and a more effective supervisory relationship. However, difficulty finding time for supervision remained a barrier. Conclusions: Physiotherapists reported an improvement in the effectiveness of clinical supervision after a clinical supervision training programme.

PURPOSE To assess whether meeting criteria for community ambulation and ambulatory self-confidence on discharge from inpatient rehabilitation are associated with participation in community activities. METHODS Prospective longitudinal observational study design. Participants were assessed within 48-hours of discharge on ability to complete tasks reflective of community ambulation (walking 315 m, ascending/descending three stairs, a ramp, and a street curb and walking at 0.44 m/s) and ambulatory self-confidence. At 8 weeks post-discharge frequency of participation in domestic, leisure/work and outdoor activities was measured using the Frenchay Activities Index (FAI). Multivariable regression analysis determined factors associated with total and outdoor FAI score. RESULTS Seventy-four of 79 participants were followed up at 8 weeks post-discharge. Meeting all ambulation criteria was positively associated with FAI outdoor score (β = 1.85, 95%CI 0.01-3.69, p = 0.049). Ambulatory self-confidence was positively associated with FAI outdoor score (β = 0.03, 95%CI 0-0.05, p = 0.032) and FAI total score (β = 0.05, 95%CI 0-0.1, p = 0.040). Age (β= -0.22, 95%CI -0.36 to -0.08, p = 0.003) and living alone (β = 3.36, 95%CI 0.10-6.61, p = 0.044) were associated with FAI total score. CONCLUSIONS Capacity to meet ambulation criteria and ambulatory self-confidence are modifiable factors that could be targeted during rehabilitation to improve participation in community activities.Implications for rehabilitationMeeting community ambulation criteria and confidence with walking on discharge from inpatient rehabilitation are positively associated with performance of outdoor community activities 8 weeks after discharge.Capacity to meet community ambulation criteria and ambulatory confidence may be useful measures for rehabilitation teams to consider when discharging patients home.Meeting ambulation criteria and ambulatory confidence are modifiable factors that could be addressed through targeted therapy to improve community integration following hospitalisation.

BACKGROUND Care navigation is commonly used to reduce preventable hospitalisation. The use of Electronic Health Record derived algorithms may enable better targeting this intervention for greater impact. OBJECTIVE To evaluate if community-based Targeted Care Navigation, supported by an Electronic Health Record derived readmission risk algorithm, is associated with reduced rehospitalisation. METHODS A propensity score matched cohort (5 comparison to 1 intervention cohort ratio) study was conducted in an 850-bed Victorian public metropolitan health service, Australia, from May to November 2017. Admitted acute care patients with a non-surgical condition, identified as at-risk of hospital readmission using an Electronic Health Record derived readmission risk algorithm provide by the state health department, were eligible. Targeted Care Navigation involved telephone follow-up support provided for 30-days post-discharge by a Registered Nurse. The hazard ratio for hospital readmission was calculated at 30-, 60-, and 90-days post-discharge using multivariable Cox Proportional Hazards regression. RESULTS Sixty-five recipients received care navigation and were matched to 262 people who did not receive care navigation. Excellent matching was achieved with standardised differences between groups being

Purpose: We explored physiotherapists’ perceptions of clinical supervision. Method: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 21 physiotherapists from a public hospital. Qualitative analysis was undertaken using an interpretive description approach. The Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale (MCSS–26) was administered to evaluate the participants’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the clinical supervision they had received and to establish trustworthiness in the qualitative data by means of triangulation. Results: The major theme was that the content of clinical supervision should focus on professional skill development, both clinical and non-clinical. Four subthemes emerged as having an influence on the effectiveness of supervision: the model of clinical supervision, clinical supervision processes, supervisor factors, and supervisee factors. All sub-themes had the potential to act as either a barrier to or a facilitator of the perception that clinical supervision was effective. Conclusions: Physiotherapists reported that clinical supervision was most effective when it focused on their professional skill development. They preferred a direct model of supervision, whereby their supervisor directly observed and guided their professional skill development. They also described the importance of informal supervision in which guidance is provided as issues arise by supervisors who value the process of supervision. Physiotherapists emphasized that supervision should be driven by their learning needs rather than health organization processes.

Allied health assistants are support staff who assist medical imaging professionals in their clinical and non-clinical role. Assistants can improve efficiency of medical imaging services; however, little is known about the specific tasks they perform.A two-phase explanatory, sequential mixed-methods study design comprising a time motion survey and qualitative interviews was conducted across three health services in Victoria, Australia. Participants were medical imaging assistants supporting medical imaging professionals. Participants recorded tasks completed on a time motion proforma across two working days. Time spent on tasks was categorised into patient related and non-patient related tasks. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore assistants' perspectives about tasks, their roles and any responsibilities. Time motion data was descriptively analysed. Qualitative data were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and analysed using the framework analysis method. Quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated using data triangulation.Four medical imaging assistants participated, providing 4170 min of time motion data and 138 min of interview data. Integration of time motion and interview data revealed the medical imaging assistant role is predominantly non-patient facing; autonomous and critical to workflow; diverse and requires flexibility; has the potential to expand into a more patient-facing role.Medical imaging assistants make significant contributions to workflow management. Their role is predominantly non-patient facing but there appear opportunities for the clinical role to expand. Realizing these opportunities will require careful consideration of the challenges and benefits of extending their scope of practice.

Background Long waiting times are associated with public community outpatient health services. This trial aimed to determine if a new model of care based on evidence-based strategies that improved patient flow in two small pilot trials could be used to reduce waiting time across a variety of services. The key principle of the Specific Timely Appointments for Triage (STAT) model is that patients are booked directly into protected assessment appointments and triage is combined with initial management as an alternative to a waiting list and triage system. Methods A stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted between October 2015 and March 2017, involving 3116 patients at eight sites across a major Australian metropolitan health network. Results The intervention reduced waiting time to first appointment by 33.8% (IRR = 0.663, 95% CI 0.516 to 0.852, P = 0.001). Median waiting time decreased from a median of 42 days (IQR 19 to 86) in the control period to a median of 24 days (IQR 13 to 48) in the intervention period. A substantial reduction in variability was also noted. The model did not impact on most secondary outcomes, including time to second appointment, likelihood of discharge by 12 weeks and number of appointments provided, but was associated with a small increase in the rate of missed appointments. Conclusions Broad-scale implementation of a model of access and triage that combined triage with initial management and actively managed the relationship between supply and demand achieved substantial reductions in waiting time without adversely impacting on other aspects of care. The reductions in waiting time are likely to have been driven, primarily, by substantial reductions for those patients previously considered low priority. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615001016527 registration date: 29/09/2015.

Background: Waiting lists are often thought to be inevitable in healthcare, but strategies that address patient flow by reducing complexity, combining triage with initial management, and/or actively managing the relationship between supply and demand can work. One such model, Specific Timely Appointments for Triage (STAT), brings these elements together and has been found in multiple trials to reduce waiting times by 30–40%. The next challenge is to translate this knowledge into practice.Method: A multi-faceted knowledge translation strategy, including workshops, resources, dissemination of research findings and a community of practice (CoP) was implemented. A mixed methods evaluation of the strategy was conducted based on the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework, drawing on an internal database and a survey of workshop and CoP participants.Results: Demonstrating reach, at July 2020 an internal database held details of 342 clinicians and managers from 64 health services who had participated in the workshop program (n = 308) and/or elected to join an online CoP (n = 227). 40 of 69 (58%) respondents to a survey of this population reported they had adopted the model, with some providing data demonstrating that the STAT model had been efficacious in reducing waiting time. Perceived barriers to implementation included an overwhelming existing waiting list, an imbalance between supply and demand and lack of resources.Conclusion: There is high quality evidence from trials that STAT reduces waiting time. Using the RE-AIM framework, this evaluation of a translation strategy demonstrates uptake of evidence to reduce waiting time in health services.

IntroductionGuidelines for hip fracture care state that patients with hip fracture should be mobilised on the day after surgery and at least once a day thereafter. However, compliance with these guidelines is poor. One approach that would assist physiotherapists to meet mobility guidelines after hip fracture is to delegate the provision of daily mobilisation to allied health assistants under their supervision. Therefore, we plan to conduct a randomised controlled trial to determine the feasibility of an allied health assistant providing daily inpatient rehabilitation to patients with hip fracture.Methods and analysisUsing a parallel group randomised controlled design with one-to-one allocation, participants will be randomly allocated to an experimental group (allied health assistant management) or a comparison group (physiotherapist management). Inclusion criteria are: adult with diagnosis of hip fracture; inpatient in acute hospital; walked independently pre-hip fracture and able to communicate in conversational English. The experimental group will receive routine physiotherapy rehabilitation, including daily mobilisation, from an allied health assistant following initial physiotherapist assessment. The comparison group will receive routine rehabilitation from a physiotherapist. The primary outcome will be the feasibility of allied health assistant management of patients with hip fracture. Feasibility will be determined using the following areas of focus in Bowen’s feasibility framework: acceptability (patient satisfaction), demand (proportion of patients who participate), implementation (time allied health assistant/physiotherapist spends with participant, occasions of service) and practicality (cost, adverse events). Staff involved in the implementation of allied health assistant care will be interviewed to explore their perspectives on feasibility. Secondary outcomes include compliance with daily mobilisation guidelines, discharge destination, hospital readmission, falls, functional activity and length of stay. We aim to recruit 50 participants. Descriptive statistics will be used to describe feasibility and mobilisation rates will be calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression to compare compliance with mobilisation guidelines.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained from the Peninsula Health human research ethics committee (HREC/63 005/PH-2020). The findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.Trail registration numberAustralian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry; ACTRN12620000877987; Pre-results.

To appraise the measurement properties of generic patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) measuring postoperative quality of life in adults undergoing elective abdominal surgery.We conducted a systematic review of PROMs administered after elective abdominal surgery. We systematically searched Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, the Cumulative Index to NursingAllied Health Literature database, and the Cochrane Library from earliest available dates to July 24, 2021, using relevant search terms. Articles were included if they reported assessment of measurement properties of a generic PROM/s measuring postoperative quality of life in adults who had undergone elective abdominal surgery. We used the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) Risk of Bias checklist to assess methodological quality. We synthesized the data and used the COSMIN criteria for good measurement properties and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations criteria to rate the certainty of evidence.Of 12,121 identified articles, nine articles assessing five PROMs (SF-6D, EQ-5D, SF-36, SF-12, PROMIS-10) met inclusion criteria. Measurement properties assessed included internal consistency (n = 2), construct validity (n = 5), and responsiveness (n = 8). Two PROMs had high quality evidence for a single measurement property each. The SF-6D demonstrated high quality evidence for responsiveness and the EQ-5D had high quality evidence for construct validity.There is insufficient evidence to support the choice of a specific generic PROM to evaluate quality of life following elective abdominal surgery. Clinicians and researchers should be aware of the current limitations in knowledge of the measurement properties of available PROMs.

ObjectiveTo review the impact of clinical supervision of post-registration/qualification healthcare professionals on healthcare organisational outcomes.BackgroundClinical supervision is a professional support mechanism that benefits patients, healthcare professionals and healthcare organisations. Whilst evidence is growing on the impact of clinical supervision on patient and healthcare professional outcomes, the evidence base for the impact of clinical supervision on organisational outcomes remains weak.MethodsThis review used a convergent segregated approach to synthesise and integrate quantitative and qualitative research findings, as per the Joanna Briggs Institute’s recommendations for mixed methods systematic reviews. Databases searched included CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, PschINFO, and Scopus. Whilst a narrative synthesis was performed to present the findings of the quantitative and qualitative studies, the evidence from both quantitative and qualitative studies was subsequently integrated for a combined presentation. The review followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.ResultsThirty-two studies including 27 quantitative, two qualitative and three mixed methods studies, were included in the review. The results of the quantitative analysis showed that effective clinical supervision was associated with lower burnout and greater staff retention, and effective supervisor was associated with lower burnout and greater job satisfaction. Qualitative findings showed that healthcare professionals believed that adequate clinical supervision could mitigate the risk of burnout, facilitate staff retention, and improve the work environment, while inadequate clinical supervision can lead to stress and burnout. The evidence from quantitative and qualitative studies were complementary of each other.ConclusionClinical supervision can have a variable effect on healthcare organisational outcomes. The direction of this effect appears to be influenced by the effectiveness of both the clinical supervision provided and that of the clinical supervisor. This highlights the need for organisations to invest in high quality supervision practices if maximal gains from clinical supervision are to be attained.

Background Specific Timely Appointments for Triage (STAT) is an intervention designed to reduce waiting time in community outpatient health services, shown to be effective in a large stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial. STAT combines initial strategies to reduce existing wait lists with creation of a specific number of protected appointments for new patients based on demand. It offers an alternative to the more traditional methods of demand management for these services using waiting lists with triage systems. This study aimed to explore perceptions of clinicians and administrative staff involved in implementing the model. Method Semi-structured interviews with 20 staff members who experienced the change to STAT were conducted by an independent interviewer. All eight sites involved in the original trial and all professional disciplines were represented in the sample. Data were coded and analysed thematically. Results Participants agreed that shorter waiting time for patients was the main advantage of the STAT model, and that ongoing management of caseloads was challenging. However, there was variation in the overall weight placed on these factors, and therefore the participants’ preference for the new or previous model of care. Perceptions of whether the advantages outweighed the disadvantages were influenced by five sub-themes: staff perception of how much waiting matters to the patient, prior exposure to the management of waiting list, caseload complexity, approach and attitude to the implementation of STAT and organisational factors. Conclusions The STAT model has clear benefits but also presents challenges for staff members. The findings of this study suggest that careful preparation and management of change and active planning for known fluctuations in supply and demand are likely to help to mitigate sources of stress and improve the likelihood of successful implementation of the STAT model for improving waiting times for patients referred to community outpatient services.

Despite explanatory studies have identified a wide range of modifiable and non-modifiable characteristics, uncertainty persists as to what characteristics are predictive of patient reported outcome following ankle fracture in adults, therefore hindering the selection of candidate variables in prognostic models without compromising the accuracy.To establish consensus-based characteristics which clinicians believe are predictive of patient reported outcomes following ankle fracture.Three-round online modified Delphi survey.In Round 1, participants provided responses to open-ended questions, as to what characteristics within the first eight weeks following ankle fracture are predictive of short- (6 months), medium- (6 months-2 years) and long-term (2 years) patient reported outcome. Rounds 2 and 3 presented consensus and gathered agreement on statements.Twenty participants answered the open-ended questions, including 13 physiotherapists and seven orthopaedic/trauma surgeons. Participants reached consensus for fracture characteristics and agreement for age, recovery of signs and symptoms, fracture management complexity, medical comorbidities, mental health status and patient journey at the short-term timepoint; agreement for age, engagement in recovery process, recovery of signs and symptoms, fracture characteristics, medical comorbidities and socioeconomic status at the medium-term timepoint; agreement for engagement in recovery process, fracture characteristics and medical comorbidities at the long-term timepoint.Clinicians believed in certain modifiable and non-modifiable characteristics predictive of patient reported outcome following ankle fracture. Our findings may provide insights about characteristics which can be selected in prognostic model development and future explanatory studies, allowing targeting adults at risk of developing long-standing symptoms and disability.

Objective: The objective of this review is to explore the attitudes and beliefs of physiotherapists and physiotherapy students working with people with dementia. A second objective is to explore their knowledge and confidence in this area. Introduction: Dementia is a leading cause of disability. It poses a challenge to individuals and health systems due to the complex nature of its presentation. With a growing body of evidence supporting physiotherapists’ role in the care of people with dementia, it is important to understand their knowledge , confidence, attitudes, and beliefs in managing this role. Inclusion criteria: The review will consider quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies that include physiotherapists and physiotherapy students who have worked or had a clinical placement in any setting where people with dementia might access physiotherapy care. Studies investigating one or more of the following topics will be included: knowledge , confidence, attitudes, and beliefs about working with people with any type of dementia. Methods: Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Ovid Embase, Emcare, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, Informit, ERIC, ProQuest Dissertations, and Google Scholar will be searched without a date limit for studies published in English. All study types will be screened for inclusion and critically appraised for methodological quality by two independent reviewers. Methodological quality will be assessed using the appropriate JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for each study type. Data will be extracted using standardized JBI tools for mixed methods systematic reviews. A convergent integrated approach to synthesis and integration will be used. Systematic review registration number: PROSPERO CRD42020181845

IntroductionCommunity-dwelling people recovering from hip fracture have the physical capacity to walk in their community but lack the confidence to do so. The primary aim of this trial is to determine whether motivational interviewing increases time spent walking at 12 months in community-dwelling people after hip fracture compared with an attention placebo control group. Secondary aims are to evaluate cost effectiveness, patient and health service outcomes and to complete a process evaluation.Methods and analysisAn assessor-blinded parallel group randomised controlled design with embedded health economic evaluation and process evaluation will compare the effects of n=270 participants randomly allocated to an experimental group (motivational interviewing) or a control group (dietary advice). For inclusion, participants are aged ≥65 years, living at home independently within 6 months of discharge from hospital after hip fracture and able to walk independently and communicate with conversational English. Key exclusion criteria are severe depression or anxiety, impaired intellectual functioning and being medically unstable to walk. Participants allocated to the experimental group will receive 10 (8 weekly and 2 booster) telephone-based sessions of motivational interviewing to increase walking over 16 weeks. Participants allocated to the control group will receive an equivalent dose of telephone-based dietary advice. The primary outcome is daily time spent walking over 7 days assessed at weeks 0, 9, 26 and 52. Secondary outcomes include measures of psychological-related function, mobility-related function, community participation, health-related quality of life and falls. Health service utilisation and associated costs will be assessed. Process evaluation will assess the fidelity of the motivational interviewing intervention and explore contextual factors through semistructured interviews.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval obtained from Eastern Health (E19-002), Peninsula Health (50261/EH-2019), Alfred Health (617/20) and La Trobe University (E19/002/50261). The findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations and public seminars.Trial registration numberACTRN12619000936123.

To investigate the effect of rehabilitation on the physical, social, and psychological dimensions of community reintegration after hip fracture.Electronic databases Embase, EMCare, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, and SPORTDiscus were searched from the earliest date available to second June 2021.Searching identified 1844 potentially relevant articles. Twenty randomized controlled trials evaluating physical retraining, cognitive retraining, and model of care interventions on physical, social and psychological aspects of community reintegration for 3075 adults after hip fracture were included.Data were extracted using predetermined templates for participant characteristics, intervention type and setting, and outcomes related to community reintegration. Methodological quality was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale, and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations approach was applied to each meta-analysis.Post intervention data were pooled to calculate risk ratios (RRs), mean differences, standardized mean differences, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using inverse variance methods and a random-effects model. Compared with usual care or no rehabilitation, there was moderate-quality evidence to suggest that physical retraining interventions improved outdoor mobility (RR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.09-1.91; IPreliminary evidence suggests that physical rehabilitation after hip fracture improves physical and social aspects of community reintegration. The effect of psychological and home-based interventions on community reintegration is currently unclear. Further research is needed to determine the effect of rehabilitation on community reintegration, using interventions and measures that encompass all dimensions of community reintegration.

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine physical therapists’ and physical therapist students’ attitudes and beliefs, knowledge, and confidence in working with people with dementia. Methods This was a mixed-methods systematic review. Participants included physical therapists working in any clinical specialty and physical therapist students who had completed at least 1 clinical placement. Eleven databases were searched. The evidence was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklists. Data synthesis followed a convergent integrated approach according to Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for mixed-methods systematic reviews. Quantitative data were “qualitized” using thematic analysis and synthesized with qualitative data using thematic synthesis. Results Fifteen studies were included (9 quantitative and 6 qualitative studies). Seven key themes evolved. Five related to the belief that (1) working with people with dementia is complex and challenging; (2) opportunities for education in dementia care are lacking; (3) working with people with dementia is a specialized area of practice; (4) there are unsupportive systems for working with people with dementia; and (5) people with dementia deserve rehabilitation, but their potential to improve is less certain. One theme related to knowledge (lack of knowledge in some areas of dementia care), and 1 theme related to confidence (lack of confidence in working with people with dementia). Conclusions Physical therapists and physical therapist students believe that working with people with dementia can be challenging. The low levels of knowledge and confidence in areas important to working with people who have dementia suggest that more education about dementia is needed. Impact This mixed-methods systematic review highlights that physical therapists and physical therapist students believe that working with people who have dementia is complex and challenging. Physical therapists want more training and support in this growing area of practice.

Objectives: To describe the patterns of personal emergency response systems (PERS) use in a statewide cohort of older Australians. Methods: PERS data from clients enrolled in the Personal Alarm Victoria program between January 2014 and June 2017 were analysed. Alarm activation reasons were extracted, and a medical record audit was performed for a sub-cohort of patients admitted to a local hospital following an alarm event. Descriptive statistics were used. Results: There were 42,180 clients enrolled during the study (mean age 80 years, 80% female, 93% living alone). An ambulance attended 44% of the fall-related events and 81% of events coded as unwell. Activation reasons were distributed equally between a fall and feeling unwell, and a repeating pattern of activation reasons was observed. In our sub-cohort (n = 92), the majority of admissions (86%) followed an alarm activation coded as unwell. Conclusion: We demonstrated recurring patterns associated with the reasons for alarm use.

Background Timely access is a challenge for providers of outpatient and community-based health services, as seen by the often lengthy waiting lists to manage demand. The Specific Timely Appointments for Triage (STAT) model, an alternative approach for managing access and triage, reduced waiting time by 34% in a stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial involving 8 services and more than 3000 participants. Follow up periods ranged from 3 to 10 months across the participating services in accordance with the stepped wedge design. This study aimed to determine whether outcomes were sustained for a full 12 months after implementation of the STAT model at each site. Methods Routinely collected service data were obtained for a total of 12 months following implementation of the STAT model at each of the 8 services that participated in a stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial. The primary outcome was time to first appointment. Secondary outcomes included non-attendance rates, time to second appointment and service use over 12 weeks. Outcomes were compared to pre-intervention data from the original trial, modelled using generalised linear mixed effects models accounting for clustering of sites. Results A 29% reduction in waiting time could be attributed to STAT over 12 months, compared to 34% in the original trial. A reduction in variability in waiting time was sustained. There were no significant changes in time to second appointment or in the number of missed appointments in the extended follow up period. Conclusions STAT is an effective strategy for reducing waiting time in community-based outpatient services. At 12 months, small reductions in the overall effect are apparent, but reductions in variability are sustained, suggesting that people who previously waited the longest benefit most from the STAT model. Trial registration This is a 12-month follow up of a stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial that was registered with the Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12615001016527).

Purpose: Clinical supervision is widely accepted as an important element of practice for allied health professionals to ensure a high quality of patient care. However, it is unknown whether effecti...

We assessed the ability of patients discharging home from inpatient rehabilitation to meet criteria for community ambulation.Cross-sectional observational study design. Participants were assessed, within 48-hours of discharge on their ability to: ascend/descend three steps, walk at a speed of 0.44 m/s, ascend/descend a slope, ascend/descend a kerb, and walk 315 m continuously. Demographic data were collected from medical records. Multiple logistic regression determined factors predictive of meeting criteria.Of 200 participants (mean 73 years, 66% women, mixed diagnosis), 64 (32%) met all criteria. The least commonly met criteria were walking 315 m continuously (37%) and ascending/descending steps (70%). Participants who were female (OR: 0.27, 95%CI: 0.12-0.61), with a high comorbidity index (OR: 0.71, 95%CI: 0.56-0.91) or a traumatic orthopaedic diagnosis (OR: 0.22, 95%CI: 0.05-0.96) were less likely to meet all criteria. Participants with a higher admission functional independence walk item score (OR: 1.37, 95%CI: 1.05-1.78) or higher ambulatory self-confidence (OR: 1.02, 95%CI: 1.01-1.04) were more likely to meet all criteria.Approximately, one-third of inpatients discharged home from a publicly funded rehabilitation centre met the community ambulation criteria, suggesting many may not be physically prepared to participate in their community.Implications for RehabilitationOnly about one in three inpatients discharging home from a publicly funded rehabilitation centre met physical criteria for community ambulation.Patients discharging home from inpatient rehabilitation have most difficulty walking long distances (≥315 m) compared to other criteria required for community ambulation (i.e., walking at a speed of 0.44 m/s, stepping up/down a kerb, ascending/descending a slope and ascending/descending three steps) and rehabilitation during this phase may require an increased focus on improving walking endurance/physical activity.Women with a high co-morbidity index, traumatic orthopaedic diagnosis, low self-confidence with ambulation on discharge and who require more assistance with walking on admission are least likely to meet the physical criteria for community ambulation at discharge, and therefore may require additional rehabilitation or supports.

Background To ensure quality of care delivery clinical supervision has been implemented in health services. While clinical supervision of health professionals has been shown to improve patient safety, its effect on other dimensions of quality of care is unknown. The purpose of this systematic review is to determine whether clinical supervision of health professionals improves effectiveness of care and patient experience. Methods Databases MEDLINE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE and AMED were searched from earliest date available. Additional studies were identified by searching of reference lists and citation tracking. Two reviewers independently applied inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of each study was rated using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument. Data were extracted on effectiveness of care (process of care and patient health outcomes) and patient experience. Results Seventeen studies across multiple health professions (medical (n = 4), nursing (n = 7), allied health (n = 2) and combination of nursing, medical and/or allied health (n = 4)) met the inclusion criteria. The clinical heterogeneity of the included studies precluded meta-analysis. Twelve of 14 studies investigating 38,483 episodes of care found that clinical supervision improved the process of care. This effect was most predominant in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and African health settings. Three of six studies investigating 1756 patients found that clinical supervision improved patient health outcomes, namely neurological recovery post cardiopulmonary resuscitation (n = 1) and psychological symptom severity (n = 2). None of three studies investigating 1856 patients found that clinical supervision had an effect on patient experience. Conclusions Clinical supervision of health professionals is associated with effectiveness of care. The review found significant improvement in the process of care that may improve compliance with processes that are associated with enhanced patient health outcomes. While few studies found a direct effect on patient health outcomes, when provided to mental health professionals clinical supervision may be associated with a reduction in psychological symptoms of patients diagnosed with a mental illness. There was no association found between clinical supervision and the patient experience. Review Registration CRD42015029643. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-017-2739-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objective: The objective of this review is to develop an aggregated synthesis of qualitative and quantitative reviewsto derive recommendations for policy and practice relevant to clinical supervision (CS). Introduction: Clinical supervision is a process where supervisors and supervisees engage in guided evaluation and reflection on current practice to enhance future practice. Recent studies have demonstrated the positive impact of CS on patient outcomes, however the impact of CS on organizational outcomes is less clear. Therefore, this review will investigate the latter and how health practitioners experience and view CS. Inclusion criteria: This review will consider quantitative and qualitative studies on health professional supervisees in nutrition and dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, podiatry, social work, speech pathology and exercise physiology in hospitals and community settings. The quantitative component will include studies on the effects of CS based on: staff retention and recruitment, intent-to-stay, intent-to-leave, job satisfaction and quality of work life, burnout and absenteeism. The qualitative component will consider studies that explore health professional supervisees’ experiences on CS related to organizational outcomes. Methods: CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, PEDro and Scopus will be searched for studies published in English,without a date limit. Both quantitative and qualitative studies will be screened for inclusion and critically appraised for methodological quality, and both types of data extracted using JBI tools for mixed methods systematic reviews. A convergent segregated approach to synthesis and integration will be used. The findings of each single method synthesis will be configured according to JBI methodology. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Purpose: To determine if the addition of direct supervision to usual clinical supervision practice of physiotherapists can improve compliance with clinical practice guidelines and post-surgical out...

Background Clinical supervision is recommended for allied health professionals for the purpose of supporting them in their professional role, continued professional development and ensuring patient safety and high quality care. The aim of this mixed methods study was to explore allied health professionals’ perceptions about the aspects of clinical supervision that can facilitate effective clinical supervision. Methods Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted on a purposive sample of 38 allied health professionals working in a metropolitan public hospital. Qualitative analysis was completed using an interpretive description approach. To enable triangulation of qualitative data, a quantitative descriptive survey of clinical supervision effectiveness was also conducted using the Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale (MCSS-26). Results Three main themes emerged from qualitative analysis: Allied health professionals reported that clinical supervision was most effective when their professional development was the focus of clinical supervision; the supervisor possessed the skills and attributes required to facilitate a constructive supervisory relationship; and the organisation provided an environment that facilitated this relationship together with their own professional development. Three subthemes also emerged within each of the main themes: the importance of the supervisory relationship; prioritisation of clinical supervision relative to other professional duties; and flexibility of supervision models, processes and approaches to clinical supervision. The mean MCSS-26 score was 79.2 (95%CI 73.7 to 84.3) with scores ranging from 44 to 100. MCSS-26 results converged with the qualitative findings with participants reporting an overall positive experience with clinical supervision. Conclusions The factors identified by allied health professionals that influenced the effectiveness of their clinical supervision were mostly consistent among the professions. However, allied health professionals reported using models of clinical supervision that best suited their profession’s role and learning style. This highlighted the need for flexible approaches to allied health clinical supervision that should be reflected in clinical supervision policies and guidelines. Many of the identified factors that influence the effectiveness of clinical supervision of allied health professionals can be influenced by health organisations.

ObjectivesMePACS is a triage and support-based personal alarm emergency response system designed to assist older and/or disabled people to live safely in their homes. The aim of this study was to estimate avoidable ambulance attendances and transports to emergency departments and quantify the cost savings attributed to MePACS compared with a comparison cohort without a personal alarm system. MethodsAlarm activation and demographic data for clients registered in the program from June 2016 to May 2017 and funded through the Personal Alert Victoria program were extracted from routinely collected MePACS electronic data. Information on alarm use, event outcomes and ambulance attendances was extracted. Using published Ambulance Victoria data, a comparison cohort was simulated to model the experience of a similar cohort without access to a personal alarm system who experienced a health emergency and called Australia’s emergency call service number. The incremental management cost, incorporating the operation cost of MePACS and ambulance fees, was calculated to compare the potential cost savings of MePACS with the comparison cohort. ResultsAmong 18421 eligible clients, there were 7856 emergency alarm activations due to falls or medical events from 4275 clients (79.5% female; 81.1% aged >75 years; 91.8% living alone). MePACS resulted in approximately one-third of ambulance attendances being avoided. Potential annual cost savings of A$1414732.8 (A$76.8 per person per year; 95% confidence interval A$60.0–93.6 per person per year; P

Objective The objective of this review was to determine whether the combination of aquatic physiotherapy with usual care and results in greater improvements in activity limitations and neurological-related impairments in individuals with neurological conditions than usual care physiotherapy alone. Methods A systematic review of controlled trials was utilized to compare usual care physiotherapy with usual care physiotherapy combined with aquatic physiotherapy for adults with any neurological condition. Standardized mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were calculated from postintervention means and standard deviations. Results Ten trials with a total of 490 participants met the inclusion criteria. Of the included trials, combined aquatic and usual care physiotherapy was evaluated in people with stroke in eight trials and in people with Parkinson's disease in two trials. Trial and outcome heterogeneity prevented the completion of meta-analyses. Data from five trials (n = 259) in people with stroke suggest that aquatic physiotherapy improves measures of balance, walking, mobility, and activities of daily living. No significant differences were detected in measures of activity limitation for people with Parkinson's disease nor measures of impairment for people with stroke or Parkinson's disease. Conclusion This review provides preliminary evidence that the combination of aquatic physiotherapy with usual care physiotherapy may improve activity limitations in people with stroke. This review found no evidence to support the combination of aquatic physiotherapy with usual care physiotherapy to improve activity limitations in Parkinson's disease or other neurological populations. These results should be interpreted with caution due to the mixed quality of the included trials.

Background Many people wait long periods for community outpatient services. However little is known about the impact of waiting from referral to first visit on patient outcomes. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate whether waiting for community outpatient services is associated with adverse effects on patient outcomes. Methods Medline, Embase, Psych Info and CINAHL databases were searched, combining the key concepts of waiting for healthcare and patient outcomes. Studies were included if they reported data comparing health outcomes for patients with different waiting times for the same period. Three reviewers applied inclusion and exclusion criteria to identified studies and assessed quality using the McMaster Critical Review Forms. Levels of evidence were assessed using National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines. Included studies were analysed using a descriptive synthesis, and summarised according to levels of evidence and clinical significance for key outcomes. Results Fourteen studies that included 69,606 adult patients were selected. Selected studies included patients referred for treatment for musculoskeletal disorders (n = 28,722) or to cardiac rehabilitation (n = 40,884). There was low-level evidence that reduced wait time is associated with moderate improvement in workplace participation for patients seeking care for musculoskeletal conditions; and moderate improvement in exercise tolerance for patients referred to cardiac rehabilitation. There was inconsistent evidence that improvements in quality of life, patient satisfaction and psychological symptoms may be associated with shorter wait times. Pain, function and physical activity outcomes were not associated with wait time. Conclusions This review found low-level evidence suggesting an association between early access to community outpatient services and improvement of some patient outcomes. Specifically, shorter wait times from referral to first visit for musculoskeletal pain services may improve patient work participation. Shorter wait times for cardiac rehabilitation may improve patient exercise capacity. The effects of a short wait time for other patient conditions and patient outcomes, including quality of life, psychological symptoms and patient experience, are inconclusive. The modest benefits in health outcomes observed in reducing wait time for community outpatient services suggest that other possible benefits such as increasing patient flow should be explored. Trial registration PROSPERO registration no: CRD42016047003

Background Task-specific training is an effective form of rehabilitation for improving mobility in neurological conditions. However, it remains unclear if task-specific training is effective in people with progressive disease. Objective To establish the efficacy of task-specific training on the mobility of individuals with progressive neurological conditions. Data sources Electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Study eligibility criteria Randomised controlled trials investigating the effect of task-specific training on mobility and falls rate in individuals with progressive neurological conditions. Study appraisal/synthesis methods Risk of bias of individual studies was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) Scale. Mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and combined in meta-analysis. Results Analysis of 16 trials found treadmill training improved comfortable walking velocity (m/second) in people with Parkinson’s disease (MD 0.21 m/second, 95%CI 0.15 to 0.27) and multiple sclerosis (MD 0.36 m/second, 95%CI 0.20 to 0.52). Treadmill training improved stride length (m) (MD 0.12 m, 95%CI 0.02 to 0.23) and step length (m) (MD 0.12 m, 95%CI 0.01 to 0.23) in people with Parkinson’s disease and walking endurance in people with multiple sclerosis (MD 26.53 m, 95%CI 12.23 to 40.84). Treadmill training had no effect on cadence and did not improve walking endurance in Parkinson’s disease. Over-ground walking did not improve mobility in Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis. Limitations Study sample sizes were small and findings must be interpreted with caution. Conclusion Treadmill training may be effective for improving mobility in people with Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. The effectiveness of over-ground walking is uncertain. Systematic Review PROSPERO Registration Number CRD42016047334.

Purpose To determine whether clinical supervision (CS) of health professionals improves patient safety. Data sources Databases MEDLINE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE and AMED were searched from earliest date available. Additional studies were identified by searching of reference lists and citation tracking. Study selection Two reviewers independently applied inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thirty-two studies across three health professions [medicine ( n = 29), nursing ( n = 2) and paramedicine ( n = 1)] were selected. Data extraction The quality of each study was rated using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument. Risk ratios (RR) were calculated for patient safety outcomes of mortality, complications, adverse events, reoperation following initial surgery, conversion to more invasive surgery and readmission to hospital. Results of data synthesis Results of meta-analyses provided low-quality evidence that supervision of medical professionals reduced the risk of mortality (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.60–0.95, I 2 = 76%) and supervision of medical professionals and paramedics reduced the risk of complications (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.53–0.89, I 2 = 76%). Due to a high level of statistical heterogeneity, sub-group analyses were performed. Sub-group analyses provided moderate-quality evidence that direct supervision of surgery significantly reduced the risk of mortality (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.50–0.93, I 2 = 33%) and direct supervision of medical professionals conducting non-surgical invasive procedures significantly reduced the risk of complications (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.24–0.46, I 2 = 0%). Conclusions CS was associated with safer surgery and other invasive procedures for medical practitioners. There was a lack of evidence about the relationship between CS and safer patient care for non-medical health professionals.

The degree to which the association of epsilon4 with dementia is mediated by AD lesions in comparison with vascular lesions is controversial. The present study was undertaken to determine the roles of Alzheimer disease (AD) and vascular pathology in mediating the effect of apolipoprotein E (APOE)-epsilon4 alleles on dementia. Clinicopathologic correlations were studied in 267 Catholic sisters participating in the Nun Study. The extent to which AD and vascular pathologies mediated the effect of APOEepsilon4 on dementia was investigated using multiple logistic regression. Adjusted for age at death and education, possession of 1 or more epsilon4 alleles was an important risk factor for dementia (odds ratio=2.98; 95% confidence interval, 1.62-5.48). This association was lost (odds ratio=1.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.68-2.80) when an index of the severity of AD-related neuropathology was added to the model, but changed little when measures of the severity of vascular pathology were added. The findings suggest that the effect of epsilon4 on dementia is mediated by the severity of AD pathology. Although infarcts and atherosclerosis contribute to the occurrence of dementia, this contribution seems unrelated to APOE genotype.

Studies suggest that individuals who are at increased risk for Alzheimer disease (AD) in late life differ on measures of cognition, linguistic performance, and brain metabolism in earlier adult life compared with those with lower risk of this illness. The present study was undertaken to determine whether smaller head circumference (HC), a predictor of AD in late life, could influence educational attainment earlier in life, specifically among individuals at increased risk for AD. Data from the Nun Study, a longitudinal clinicopathologic study of dementia, were analyzed using logistic regression to assess the association between HC and attainment of less than a bachelor's degree. Modification of this association was studied by comparing those with and without evidence of increased AD risk, including possession of apolipoprotein E (APOE)-epsilon 4 alleles, occurrence of dementia before death, and satisfaction of AD neuropathologic criteria at autopsy. Small HC was associated with lower educational attainment in those carrying an APOE-epsilon 4 allele [odds ratio (OR)=6.27, 1.21 to 32.48], those who became demented (OR=3.23, 1.27 to 8.21), and those who fulfilled AD neuropathologic criteria (OR=5.03, 1.29 to 19.66), but not in those without these characteristics. These findings suggest that small HC limits educational attainment only among individuals who have greater risk of AD owing to their APOE genotype or who are destined to develop this illness later in life.

Background Physiotherapy is a routine component of postoperative management following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). As the demand for surgery increases it is vital that postoperative physiotherapy interventions are effective and efficient. Objectives Determine the most beneficial active physiotherapy interventions in acute hospital and inpatient rehabilitation for improving pain, activity, range of motion and reducing length of stay for adults who have undergone TKA. Data sources Electronic databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, PUBMED and EMBASE. Study eligibility criteria Randomised controlled trials investigating the effect of active physiotherapy interventions in the acute hospital or inpatient rehabilitation setting for adults who have undergone TKA. Study appraisal and synthesis methods Risk of bias for individual studies was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Standardised Mean Differences (SMD) or Mean Differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and combined in meta-analyses. Quality of meta-analyses was assessed using the Grades of Research, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. Results Accelerated physiotherapy regimens were effective for reducing acute hospital length of stay (MD −3.50 days, 95% CI −5.70 to −1.30). Technology-assisted physiotherapy did not show any difference for activity (SMD −0.34, 95% CI −0.82 to 0.13). From high quality individual studies pain, activity and range of motion improved with accelerated physiotherapy regimens and activity improved with hydrotherapy. Limitations Lack of blinding and small sample sizes across the included trials. Conclusion After TKA, there is low level evidence that accelerated physiotherapy regimens can reduce acute hospital length of stay. Systematic review registration number PROSPERO (Registration number CRD42014013414) http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO .

Background although the concept of healthy ageing has stimulated considerable interest, no generally accepted definition has been developed nor has its biological basis been determined. Objective to develop a definition of healthy ageing and investigate its association with longevity and neuropathology. Methods analyses were based on cognitive, physical, and post-mortem assessments from 1991 to 1998 in the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of ageing in participants 75+ years at baseline. We defined three mutually exclusive levels of healthy ageing (excellent, very good, and good) based on measures of global cognitive function, short-term memory, basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and self-rated function. Mortality analyses were based on 636 participants; neuropathologic analyses were restricted to 221 who had died and were autopsied. Results only 11% of those meeting criteria for the excellent level of healthy ageing at baseline subsequently died, compared with 24% for the very good, 39% for the good, and 60% for the remaining participants. Survival curves showed significantly greater longevity with higher levels of healthy ageing. The risk of not attaining healthy ageing, adjusted for age, increased two-fold in participants with brain infarcts alone, six-fold in those with Alzheimer neuropathology alone, and more than thirteen-fold in those with both brain infarcts and Alzheimer neuropathology. Conclusions the biological validity of our definition of healthy ageing is supported by its strong association with mortality and longevity. Avoiding Alzheimer and stroke neuropathology is critical to the maintenance of healthy ageing, and the presence of both pathologies dramatically decreases the likelihood of healthy ageing.