Models of rehabilitation service delivery need to move to a chronic disease management model that incorporates outcomes that are meaningful to clients, and not the assumed needs or outcomes as defined by rehabilitation professionals.

In early 2005, Canada's most populous province (Ontario) partially delisted publicly funded community-based physical therapy services by restricting the eligibility criteria within designated clinics. The aim of this research was to assess the consequences of this policy decision using a prospective cohort design. In this study, we followed clients before and after delisting in order to assess change in access and self-reported health status. The results indicated that 81 of 113 (71.7%) participants who required physical therapy services continued to receive them after delisting because they remained eligible, were privately insured and/or were able to pay out-of-pocket. Twenty (17.7%) required services but did not receive them because they were uninsured or were not able to pay privately. The remaining participants were discharged at follow-up. Controlling for gender, age, employment and condition, clients who maintained access were 10 times more likely to report very good or excellent health status compared to those who did not receive services (odds ratio: 10.72; 95% confidence interval: 2.20-52.25). Given the association between poor self-reported health status and morbidity and mortality, future research needs to examine the long-term impact to determine the extent to which delisting may be associated with increased utilization of hospitals and family physicians.

SUMMARY This pilot study describes the effect of wheelchair use on the quality of life of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), and examines the clinical utility of the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) as an outcome measure for use by occupational therapists. Sixteen hospitalized adults with MS were interviewed using the PIADS. Descriptive comparisons of PIADS subscale scores (competence, adaptability, self-esteem) were conducted for participants using different types of wheelchairs, daily versus non-daily wheelchair users, and participants who required different levels of assistance to propel their wheelchairs. Results suggest that using a wheelchair has a positive impact on the quality of life of persons with MS. The PIADS was found to be clinically useful for exploring person-environment interactions and appears to be well suited to the goals and values of occupational therapy. Recommendations for future research and for incorporating the PIADS into occupational therapy practice are discussed.

The study supports the use of a comprehensive model for long-term outcomes after TBI where pre-injury characteristics and post-injury cognitive and physical characteristics account for the greatest proportion of explained variance.

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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine barriers to accessing physical therapy (PT) services in Ontario primary health care with respect to funding sources and wait times. Methods: A stratified random sample of 1100 registered Ontario PTs and 3000 Ontario family physicians were surveyed by mail in 2004. Relationships were examined between PT wait times, funding source, geographical region and caseload composition. Results: Physicians identified the cost of private rehabilitation and long wait times as the most common barriers to referring patients to rehabilitation. Wait times for PT were longer in publicly funded settings than in privately funded practice settings (p, 0.001) and in the North (p, 0.001) and East (p 5 0.010) regions of Ontario compared with the most urban region of Ontario. Patients with chronic musculoskeletal conditions, cardiopulmonary conditions and general debility were at least three times more likely to receive PT services at publicly funded than privately funded practice settings. Furthermore, patients with acute musculoskeletal conditions were less likely to receive PT services in publicly funded practice settings (odds ratio 5 0.11, 95% confidence interval 5 0.05-0.23). Conclusions: Current Ontario health-care structures may affect access to PT services for vulnerable populations such as those with chronic conditions, those lacking private health insurance and those living in less urban regions of Ontario.

Purpose: Because publicly-funded, community-based physical therapy (PT) services through Ontario's network of Schedule 5 providers were partially delisted in April 2005, we examined the perceived consequences of this policy decision among different provider categories following partial delisting. Schedule 5 providers or clinics, renamed “Designated Physiotherapy Clinics” following partial delisting, are privately-owned and operated facilities that have agreements with Ontario's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to deliver publicly funded services for eligible clients. Methods: A health policy research approach used semi-structured telephone interviews with 33 physical therapists from Schedule 5 clinics, home care settings, hospitals, and private clinics within the Greater Toronto Area and across Ontario. Results: Schedule 5 providers perceived an immediate decrease in demand, whereas PT providers from other categories reported no change at the time of interview. Conversely, all providers forecasted decreased access for ineligible clients but a potential for improved access and reduced wait times among those who remained eligible. In the final analysis, PT informants in all categories agreed that partial delisting was an improved policy decision compared with full delisting, as proposed initially. Conclusions: Perceived consequences appeared to depend on provider type. However, informants from all provider categories cautioned that this policy decision would have a significant impact on the health status of some Ontarians. Further research is warranted to explore the long-term effects of this policy decision.

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