From evaluation to discharge: a cross-sectional study of therapist satisfaction with session duration in outpatient...

Physical therapy (PT) session duration influences satisfaction, therapeutic effectiveness, and workload. Although prior studies examined satisfaction and outcomes, limited research has described how session duration is structured across phases of outpatient care. In Saudi Arabia, where rehabilitation services are expanding, no standard guidance exists for outpatient session length. This study explored current durations of evaluation, follow-up, and discharge sessions in outpatient PT across diverse patient populations, and examined therapists' satisfaction and perspectives on adequacy and optimal duration.

A cross-sectional survey was distributed to PTs practicing in outpatient and homecare settings across Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire collected demographic data, current session durations, satisfaction levels, and preferences for more or less time. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations examined variation by session type, patient population, daily caseload, and overbooking.

A total of 434 PTs participated. The most commonly reported durations were 30-40 and 15-25 min for evaluation (36%, 35%), follow-up (45%, 25%), and discharge sessions (39%, 33%). Duration varied by patient population; for example, 45-55-min evaluation sessions were reported by 41% of pediatric therapists vs. 18% of musculoskeletal therapists. Satisfaction increased with longer durations (evaluation: 48% at 15-25 min vs. 86% at ≥60 min). Among therapists practicing overbooking, satisfaction ranged from 47% (15-25 min) to 76% (≥60 min), compared with 55% to 85% among those not overbooking. Among therapists preferring longer sessions, optimal durations clustered at 30-40 and 45-55 min (evaluation: 46%, 35%; follow-up: 40%, 37%; discharge: 42%, 36%). Among those preferring shorter sessions, 15-25 min was consistently selected (evaluation: 71%; follow-up: 47%; discharge: 59%). Therapists preferring longer sessions most often cited the need for more time for physical examination, exercise prescription/monitoring, and patient education (evaluation: 78%, 53%, 64%; follow-up: 38%, 78%, 63%; discharge: 51%, 49%, 69%), whereas those preferring shorter sessions primarily reported avoiding wasted time (94%, 81%, 71%).

This study provides the first national description of outpatient PT session duration and therapist satisfaction in Saudi Arabia. Preferences were shaped by clinical context, caseload, and scheduling practices. Within its descriptive scope, these distributions may serve as practical scheduling benchmarks, informing default duration ranges by visit phase and patient population and guiding review of overbooking and caseload targets while supporting future research on clinical outcomes.