Trial reportBMC musculoskeletal disorders2023
No major difference in perceived quality of care in patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis assessed in a physical therapy-led triage compared with standard care: a randomized controlled trial.
Trial report in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04665908 (PT-led Triage in Secondary Care Settings for Patients With Hip or/and Knee Osteoarthritis), which is not on this map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses 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.
PT-led Triage in Secondary Care Settings for Patients With Hip or/and Knee Osteoarthritis
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Patient satisfaction with advanced practice physiotherapy internationally: A systematic mixed studies review.PloS one · 2026Pooled it
- Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- In safe hands - patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis expectations and experience of physical therapist-led triage in a secondary care setting.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2026Article
- "A very good program … but I still have the knee problem": A qualitative study exploring patient acceptability of physiotherapy-led osteoarthritis services.Osteoarthritis and cartilage open · 2026Article
- Measurement of expectations regarding exercise therapy of patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis: A scoping review.Osteoarthritis and cartilage open · 2025Article
- Patients' Experience With Evaluation by Both a Musculoskeletal Physician and Physical Therapist in the Same Digital Visit: Survey Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPhysical therapy-led orthopedic triage is a care model used to optimize pathways for patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis. However, scientific evidence of the effectiveness of this model of care is still limited and only a few studies report patients' perception of it. The aim of this study was to compare patients' perceived quality of care after physical therapy-led triage with standard practice in a secondary care setting for patients with primary hip or knee osteoarthritis.
methodsIn this randomized study, patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis referred for an orthopedic consultation received either physical therapy-led triage (n = 344) or a standard care assessment by an orthopedic surgeon (n = 294). To evaluate the patients' perceived quality of care, a short version of the Quality from the Patient's Perspective (QPP) questionnaire was sent to the patients within a week after their assessment. The primary outcome was the statement "I received the best examination and treatment" on QPP.
resultsA total of 348 patients (70%, physical therapy-led triage: n = 249, standard care: n = 199) answered the questionnaire. No significant difference was found in the primary outcome between the groups (p = 0.6). Participants in the triage group perceived themselves to have received significantly better information about how to take care of their osteoarthritis (p = 0.017) compared with the standard care group. The standard care group reported that they participated in the decision-making process to a greater extent (p = 0.005), that their expectations were met to a greater degree (p = 0.013), and that their care depended more on their need for care rather than the caregivers' routines (0.007).
conclusionBoth groups report high perceived quality of care. Significant differences were found in four of 14 questions, one in favor of the physical therapist and three in favor of the standard care group. The findings of this study are in line with previous research and support the use of this care model for patients with hip or knee OA in secondary care. However, due to the dropout size, the results should be interpreted with caution.
trial registrationClinical Trials NCT04665908, registered 14/12/2020.
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