A New Model of Care: Community Appointment Day Outcomes and Impact on Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Waiting Times

This study aimed to test the introduction of Community Appointment Days (CADs) for patients on the Musculoskeletal (MSK) Physiotherapy waiting list in Lanarkshire, UK.

A multi-professional team developed, implemented, and evaluated the first 2 CADs on 16th and 17th April, 2024. The mixed-methods design involved patients completing a "passport" (which included a survey) on the day and being followed up 4 weeks later by survey or interview. The patient management system was interrogated for waiting times and numbers returning to the service within 6 months. Structured thematic analysis was used to create a conceptual model from the qualitative data.

More than 3 times as many patients were booked into a CAD appointment (n = 443) compared to routine outpatient clinics (n = 133), and the vast majority reported positive outcomes. A total of 52 attendees (12%) were discharged on the day and a further 202 (46%) with Patient Initiated Review (PIR). Only 126 (28%) were given a follow-up 1:1 Physiotherapy appointment, although 63 (14%) did not attend on the day. Of the 443 booked, 26 (6%) returned for an additional review MSK outpatient appointment within 6 months.

The CADs had positive outcomes for patients and were successful in reducing waiting times.