The Enhanced Primary Care program and falls prevention: perceptions of private occupational therapists and physiotherapists

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the processes involved for private occupational therapists (OTs) and physiotherapists (PTs) to implement Medicare items from the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) program within their practice, for the purpose of falls prevention interventions for older people.

Methods: Qualitative study using a grounded theory approach employing semistructured interviews with five private occupational therapists and five private physiotherapists from across the Sydney area and the Hunter region.

Results: The following key themes emerged in relation to the potential for the EPC to be used to access falls prevention: (i) interdisciplinary communication and communication with consumers; (ii) best practice in community-based falls prevention using the EPC program; and (iii) administrative and organisational challenges of the EPC program.

Conclusion: Participants supported the EPC program, and saw its potential for delivering falls prevention interventions in the community. However, findings suggest that the EPC program needs to be further refined to be more effective.