Essay Sample: Utilization and Optimization of Processes to Improve Efficiency in Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is the process of treating body deformations, injuries or diseases by use of physical methods such as exercise, heat treatment, and massage as opposed to surgery and drugs. Over the years, it has been proved to be an effective method of treating especially after injuries or deformations of bones and joints. However, physical therapy can be used in combination with other forms of treatment or as a sole treatment method. In this research, I am going to analyze aspects that can help in the utilization and optimization of physical therapy efficiency.

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Continuous Quality improvement is one of the methods that can be used to increase efficiency in physical therapy. According to Kaplan et al. (2014), CQI involves the physical therapy practitioners asking themselves how they are conducting it and what they can do to make it more effective. The idea is to continue improving the treatment each time. Various aspects have been applied to enhance the continuous quality improvement in health care which includes physical therapy. Among the interventions that have been put in place to improve physical therapy include the use of technological tools and equipment to help in conducting physical therapy.

Various studies have been conducted in this area to determine how physical health practitioners can make it more effective. A research that was performed by (Fetters and Tilson, 2018) shows that doing physical therapy in a more timely way can help to improve its effectiveness. However, of great importance is to determine how physical therapy can be carried out in a more timely manner. The study identified certain aspects that can be used to ensure convenient physical therapy which includes early identification of a problem and early treatment. If a health problem identification is made early enough and treatment started immediately, it helps in improving the effectiveness of therapy (Karlen and McCathie, 2015). The other thing is that a therapist should avoid delayed treatment after a health problem is identified.

Family members' involvement is physical therapy also another aspect that can be used to enhance the effectiveness of physical therapy. In some cases, physical therapy will involve people with certain inabilities that may make them unable to cope with treatment methods. It may contribute to making therapy ineffective. However, the involvement of family members can be used to make physical therapy more effective (Fetters and Tilson, 2018). For example, a patient who goes for physical therapy on a daily bases may require family members assistant to ensure that he/she attend therapy as scheduled.

The other aspect that can be used to improve physical therapy is the use of electrotherapeutic modalities in physical therapy. Different practices have been put into practices to make physical therapy more effective. Electrotherapeutic modalities are among the method used to complement therapeutic exercise. Cameron (2017) asserted that these modalities are among the interventions that have been proved to make physical therapy more effective. However, these modalities should not be used unless there is documentation that shows that it is indispensable for them to be used to complement physical therapy depending on the nature of the health condition.

Physical therapy has become an excellent intervention of treating diseases, injuries and deformations. It is a method that can be used instead of the other form of treatment such as surgery and drugs. However, there have been various interventions that have been put in place to improve the effectiveness of physical therapy. Different studies have also been conducted to find out the best responses that can be used to make it more effective. Continuous quality improvement has been emphasized in physical therapy. Timely physical is also another aspect that can be used to make it more effective. On the other hand, the study also shows that the intervention of family members can also help in making physical therapy more effective. More so, the use of electrotherapeutic modalities to complement physical therapy has been proved to improve its effectiveness.

References

Cameron, M. H. (2017). Physical Agents in Rehabilitation-E Book: An Evidence-Based Approach to Practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.Fetters, L., & Tilson, J. (2018). Evidence based physical therapy. FA Davis.

Kaplan, R. S., Witkowski, M., Abbott, M., Guzman, A. B., Higgins, L. D., Meara, J. G., ... & Wertheimer, S. (2014). Using time-driven activity-based costing to identify value improvement opportunities in healthcare. Journal of Healthcare Management, 59(6), 399-412.

Karlen, E., & McCathie, B. (2015, December 1). Implementation of a Quality Improvement Process Aimed to Deliver Higher-Value Physical Therapy for Patients With Low Back Pain: Case Report. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/95/12/1712/2888284

Van Wely, L., Balemans, A. C., Becher, J. G., & Dallmeijer, A. J. (2014). Physical activity stimulation program for children with cerebral palsy did not improve physical activity: a randomised trial. Journal of physiotherapy, 60(1), 40-49.