A description of weekend physiotherapy services in three tertiary hospitals in the greater Toronto area

The aims of this study were (1) to describe the cardiorespiratory physiotherapy weekend service (PWS) at three tertiary hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and (2) to compare measures of staff burden among the clinical service areas in one of the hospitals that had a programme-based management structure.

Two focus-group meetings were held with physiotherapists from hospitals within the GTA. Thereafter, variables characterizing the PWS were collected over 8 months, using a standardized data-collection form.

A total of 632 data-collection forms were received. Response rates exceeded 75% at each hospital. Workload variables, including the number of patient visits, new referrals per hour, and the proportion of staff completing unpaid overtime, differed between the hospitals (p<0.002). There was no difference in any variable when data were compared between Saturday, Sunday, and statutory holidays (p>0.13). Workload measures varied between clinical service areas at the hospital that provided PWS using a programme-based approach.

These findings highlight the important shortcomings of a programme-based management approach to providing PWS and may constitute a catalyst for change.