Comparison of Patient Expectations and Perceptions Among Physiotherapists in the Field of Musculoskeletal...

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) represent a major burden for healthcare systems. Aligning care with patient expectations is a cornerstone of patient-centred care and is associated with greater satisfaction, engagement, and clinical outcomes. However, discrepancies may exist between what patients prioritise and what physiotherapists (PT) perceive as important.

To compare the priority expectations of patients with MSD and the degree to which these expectations are perceived and prioritised by PT.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using two parallel online questionnaires: one for MSD patients (n = 618) and one for PT (n = 489). Twenty-two care expectations were ranked across four domains: information, therapeutic interaction, technical expertise, and care environment. PT ranked expectations as they believed their patients would. Group comparisons were performed using Mann-Whitney tests.

PT accurately identified the overall top-ranked expectations, such as understanding the cause of pain and rapid access to care. However, 16 out of 22 expectations showed significant differences in perceived importance between patients and PT (p < 0.05). PT overestimated the need for quick solutions and underestimated the value placed by patients on clear explanations, shared decision-making, and clinic facilities.

While PT can broadly identify key patient expectations, it tends to misjudge the weight patients place on communication, autonomy, and the care environment. These findings underline the need to strengthen training in communication and shared decision-making to improve the therapeutic alliance and the quality of care in musculoskeletal physiotherapy.