Impact on Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Among Musculoskeletal Disorders Patients Following Care Pathways-Based Assessment and Intervention: A Retrospective Study

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are referred to the physiotherapy outpatient department for pain management and quality-of-life improvement. Delivering the best physiotherapy care by streamlining the treatment process. PROMs complement clinical assessments and treatment by incorporating the patients’ perspective into health care evaluation. In the context of physiotherapy, understanding patient recovery expectations becomes crucial. The primary goal of this study is to assess the impact of physiotherapy outpatient services on clinical outcomes among MSD individuals following care pathways. Individual records were collected from the medical records of those who were treated for low back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, knee pain, and ankle pain at the outpatient department of Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre. Data for pain were analysed retrospectively using a visual analogue scale and a patient-reported outcome measure on the Global Perceived Effect scale, which showed the percentage of improvement collected before and after physiotherapy sessions. Individuals showed remarkable improvement after physiotherapy interventions for pain management and also showed overall improvement in their quality of life (QoL) following physiotherapy. The findings of the study show positive results with improvement in pain and QoL. However, within the field of physical therapy, evidence regarding the link between recovery expectations and patient outcomes is still evolving.