Work sampling: the way in which physiotherapists utilise their working hours.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Occupational Therapy
• Workforce Studies

Background:

• Understanding physiotherapist work-time allocation is crucial for efficient healthcare delivery.
• Previous studies have not comprehensively detailed time utilization across all physiotherapists in a specific region.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the work-time utilization of physiotherapists in Västerbotten County, Sweden.
• To identify key factors, such as occupational area, influencing this time allocation.

Main Methods:

• A time budget study was conducted involving 149 physiotherapists over one week each.
• Work sampling recorded activities at 30-minute intervals, categorized into predefined tasks.

Main Results:

• Patient treatment averaged 33% of gross working time.
• Continuing education comprised 6%, other occupational tasks 38%, and transport/breaks/time off 23%.
• Occupational area emerged as the most significant factor influencing work-time utilization.

Conclusions:

• Work sampling provides valuable insights into the structure and elements of physiotherapy professional work.
• Findings can inform resource allocation and workflow optimization within physiotherapy services.