Advanced Practice Educational Session #1
Saturday, May 3 (2:45 pm – 3:15 pm)
Sustainable implementation of Musculoskeletal Advanced Practice Physiotherapy in Canada
– Dr. Alison Rushton
Musculoskeletal Advanced Practice Physiotherapy (APP) models of care offer bold and innovative solutions to current health care challenges. Musculoskeletal physiotherapists are experts in the assessment, diagnosis and management of complexity and musculoskeletal APP roles and opportunities are fast evolving. APP is a higher level of practice, with APP practitioners working across 4 pillars – clinical practice, leadership, education and research. Musculoskeletal APP practitioners have demonstrated patient satisfaction and clinical effectiveness.
In our novel stepped-wedge cluster RCT, musculoskeletal physiotherapists were randomized to receive 150 hours mentored clinical practice. This RCT provided evidence of the clinical effectiveness of an educational intervention designed to improve physiotherapist level of practice and performance. Our recent systematic review synthesized evidence across post-licensure educational pathways to APP. A high level of confidence supported Masters level education as the optimal pathway for achievement of all 4 pillars of APP.
Evidence informed implementation of APP is essential to ensure sustainability. A definition and core competencies for APP have been consensually agreed. The next research step is definition of area of practice specific competencies. Within this presentation, data regarding musculoskeletal areas of practice and any specific competencies will be collected and presented to ensuring the musculoskeletal physiotherapy voice is captured.
Dr. Alison Rushton
Alison is Professor and Director of Physical Therapy at Western University. Alison has a strong research profile reflected in a h-index of 44 and i10-index of 139, with >£2M funding, £11M research centre funding, and >260 publications. Her research is at the forefront of understanding assessment and management of musculoskeletal disorders particularly advanced practice physiotherapy and precision intervention for spinal pain. Alison’s has >$1.5 million active funding supporting research projects that are collaborative with teams
of national / international researchers and clinical sites and patients focused to personalised rehabilitation for patients presenting with musculoskeletal pain of spinal and traumatic origin. Alison was Chair of the IFOMPT Standards Committee from 2004 to 2020. Alison has been awarded fellowships from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in the UK and the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists internationally for her national/international contribution to musculoskeletal physiotherapy research/education.
Advanced Practice Educational Session #2
Sunday, May 4 (9:30 am – 10:15 am)
Improving access to healthcare for people with musculoskeletal disorders: Advanced practice physiotherapy as part of the solution – Dr. Clair Arden, Dr. Linda Truong, Dr. Véronique Lowry
In Canadian emergency departments and primary care settings (e.g. family medicine), musculoskeletal disorders (MSKDs) are typically managed by doctors, even though physiotherapists are licensed as first contact providers. Increasing attention to direct access musculoskeletal care has illuminated new care models, including advanced practice physiotherapy implemented in emergency and primary care settings.
This session will discuss (1) how advanced practice physiotherapy can facilitate access to high-value healthcare for people with MSKDs, and (2) how to work as an advanced practice physiotherapist. By catalysing ideassharing among health professionals who are invested in providing high-value musculoskeletal care, we can surface tensions and opportunities for advancing musculoskeletal physiotherapy in Canada.
In a series of short talks, the presenters will outline new data on (i) digital tools for triage and diagnosis, (ii) implementing and evaluating advanced practice physiotherapy in emergency departments and primary care, and (iii) competencies and skills for advanced practice physiotherapy. Then, participants are invited to contribute to guided discussions on the role of advanced practice physiotherapy, and ways to facilitate equitable access to high-value musculoskeletal healthcare.
As the demand for specialist musculoskeletal skills increases, we open a conversation about how physiotherapy might contribute to alleviating the health human resources crisis across Canada.
Dr. Clare Ardern (PT, PhD) is an Australian-trained physiotherapist and clinical researcher. For over a decade she has led international research programmes in Australia, Qatar, Sweden and Canada to develop guidelines and interventions for managing musculoskeletal conditions and sports injuries. In Canada, Clare teaches evidence-based physiotherapy practice with a health equity focus. Her interdisciplinary research team of clinicians, computer scientists, knowledge mobilisation specialists and patient partners work together
co-design, implement and evaluate, with the community, new approaches to musculoskeletal primary care.
Dr. Linda Truong (PT, PhD) is a physiotherapy clinician-scientist with extensive experience in musculoskeletal rehabilitation across clinical, research, and teaching domains. She has over a decade of clinical experience, working closely with patients with musculoskeletal injuries and continues to see patients. Linda completed her PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences at UBC in 2023, focusing on exploring the impact of social support and relationships on
exercise participation after traumatic knee injuries. She is currently working on designing and implementing innovative models of care aimed at reducing the burden of musculoskeletal pain in community and emergency settings.
Dr. Véronique Lowry (PT, PhD) is a physiotherapist and clinical researcher, developing and leading a research program that focuses on using implementation science to improve how musculoskeletal disorders are managed in primary care. Véronique has a keen interest in
facilitating the implementation of physiotherapists in primary care to improve healthcare access for patients living with musculoskeletal disorders.