ArticlePloS one2021
Prevalence and predictors of no-shows to physical therapy for musculoskeletal conditions.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 41 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of Telemedicine for Musculoskeletal Disorders: Umbrella Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- Acupuncture Improves Functional Limitations for Cancer Patients with Chronic Pain: A Secondary Analysis of PEACE Randomized Clinical Trial.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Trial
- Comparing Digital to Conventional Physical Therapy for Chronic Shoulder Pain: Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Trial
- Virtual Physician-Integrated Practice Units Enhance Pain Relief, Function, and Well-Being in Older Adults with Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Single-Arm Pre-Post Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Predictive factors for care intensification in a no co-pay physical therapy model for musculoskeletal pain.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Digital Versus In-Person Physical Therapy in Adults With Musculoskeletal Conditions: Retrospective Matched-Cohort Analysis of Surgery and Low-Value Surgical Rates.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Article
- What patient-specific factors can potentially affect physiotherapy attendance of patients with knee OA at a local hospital in Singapore?Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liao · 2025Article
- Examining the Reasons for Patient No-Show in an Outpatient Adult Rehabilitation Department in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh: A Cross-Sectional Study.Health science reports · 2025Article
- Patient "No-Show" Prior to Elective Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty Increases Risk of Postoperative Anemia.Arthroplasty today · 2025Article
- Article
- Addressing Health Care Access Disparities Through a Public Health Approach to Physical Therapist Practice.Physical therapy · 2024Article
- Introducing a Simple Tool of Patient Self-Assessment of Wrist Range of Motion.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Decision analysis framework for predicting no-shows to appointments using machine learning algorithms.BMC health services research · 2024Article
- Optimal Duration of Physical Therapy Following Total Knee Arthroplasty.Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation · 2024Article
- The potential of a multimodal digital care program in addressing healthcare inequities in musculoskeletal pain management.NPJ digital medicine · 2023Article
- Telerehabilitation Technology Used for Remote Wrist/Finger Range of Motion Evaluation: A Scoping Review.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2023Article
- Randomized-controlled trial assessing a digital care program versus conventional physiotherapy for chronic low back pain.NPJ digital medicine · 2023Article
- Characterizing No-shows in the Omani Primary Healthcare Setting.Oman medical journal · 2023Article
- Social determinants of health and the prediction of missed breast imaging appointments.BMC health services research · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesChronic pain affects 50 million Americans and is often treated with non-pharmacologic approaches like physical therapy. Developing a no-show prediction model for individuals seeking physical therapy care for musculoskeletal conditions has several benefits including enhancement of workforce efficiency without growing the existing provider pool, delivering guideline adherent care, and identifying those that may benefit from telehealth. The objective of this paper was to quantify the national prevalence of no-shows for patients seeking physical therapy care and to identify individual and organizational factors predicting whether a patient will be a no-show when seeking physical therapy care.
designRetrospective cohort study.
settingCommercial provider of physical therapy within the United States with 828 clinics across 26 states.
participantsAdolescent and adult patients (age cutoffs: 14-117 years) seeking non-pharmacological treatment for musculoskeletal conditions from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2017 (n = 542,685). Exclusion criteria were a primary complaint not considered an MSK condition or improbable values for height, weight, or body mass index values. The study included 444,995 individuals. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of no-shows for musculoskeletal conditions and predictors of patient no-show.
resultsIn our population, 73% missed at least 1 appointment for a given physical therapy care episode. Our model had moderate discrimination for no-shows (c-statistic:0.72, all appointments; 0.73, first 7 appointments) and was well calibrated, with predicted and observed no-shows in good agreement. Variables predicting higher no-show rates included insurance type; smoking-status; higher BMI; and more prior cancellations, time between visit and scheduling date, and between current and previous visit.
conclusionsThe high prevalence of no-shows when seeking care for musculoskeletal conditions from physical therapists highlights an inefficiency that, unaddressed, could limit delivery of guideline-adherent care that advocates for earlier use of non-pharmacological treatments for musculoskeletal conditions and result in missed opportunities for using telehealth to deliver physical therapy.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.