Acute Care Group-Based Physical Therapy on an Inpatient Geriatrics Unit: Preliminary Data

Hospitalized older adults are at high risk for hospital-associated disability, but one-to-one physical therapy (PT) models often cannot meet demand for skilled mobility progression. Group-based PT is effective in outpatient and rehabilitation settings, but its feasibility in acute inpatient care is unknown.

We conducted a single-site, prospective quality improvement implementation of acute care group-based PT (AC-GBPT) on a 39-bed medical-surgical geriatrics unit at an academic medical center. Sessions were offered weekly during routine clinical operations without additional staffing. Eligible patients were 60 years and older, had an active PT plan of care, were medically stable, and could transfer to a chair with human assistance. Feasibility outcomes included number of sessions delivered, participants per session, recruitment, reasons for non-participation, and adverse events. We also summarized participant characteristics and therapist productivity on days with versus without a group session.

From March 19, 2025, through February 18, 2026, 37 sessions were delivered, with a mean of 4.22 participants per session (range 3-6). Across the period, 156 unique patient participations were recorded, and 69% of patients approached participated. At the time of participation, mean age was 77.9 years and mean time since admission was 8.6 days. No safety events occurred during or immediately after group sessions. Mean therapist productivity was notably higher on group days than on non-group days (1.59 vs. 1.31 patients/h; approximately 21% higher).

A once-weekly AC-GBPT model for selected hospitalized older adults was feasible to deliver using existing resources and showed promising reach, safety, and operational performance, suggesting it may extend PT to more patients. Further work should assess patient acceptability, fully characterize staff time requirements, and assess patient-centered outcomes.