A Survey on the Use of Outcome Measures during Physical Therapy Interventions by Physical Therapists in Korea

The purpose of this study was to determine the current status of patient care provided by Korean physical therapists (KPTs) in clinical practice by studying the outcome measures (OMs) used in physical therapy interventions among KPTs with experience in treating patients. A total of 225 KPTs with experience in treating patients in clinical settings participated in the study and completed the online questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions about the use of OMs and the reasons for using them, as well as the types, benefits, and barriers of OMs. The participants’ responses were analyzed and reported in terms of frequencies and percentages. A total of 220 questionnaires were analyzed. The results show that the majority of KPTs in clinical practice used OMs during interventions. The main reasons for using OMs were to check the patient’s condition and to determine the direction and effectiveness of treatment. In terms of the types of OMs used, the highest percentage of subjects used both patient-reported OMs (PROMs) and performance-based OMs (PBOMs). They chose OMs that were quick and easy to use and used them voluntarily. Barriers to and reasons for not using OMs were similar, including lack of benefits, lack of time, and problems with patient performance and uncooperative behavior. When analyzing the effect of demographic characteristics on the use of OMs, we found that physical therapists specializing in musculoskeletal and neurological systems, physical therapists with longer treatment times, and physical therapists who valued OMs were more likely to use them. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that improvements in the work environment and healthcare system are needed to enhance the professionalism of KPTs working in the field of physical agent therapy by improving their awareness of Oms and improving the quality of physical therapy interventions.