Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: To examine the newly established role of a primary contact physiotherapist in an ENT clinic, in an Australian cohort and context, over two phases of development.
METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with data collected from a medical record audit. Over the study duration, the primary contact physiotherapist completed initial appointments with patients; follow-up appointments were subsequently conducted by medical staff.
RESULTS: There was a 46 per cent reduction in patients with suggested vestibulopathy requiring an ENT medical review. This reduction could hypothetically increase to 71 per cent with follow-up primary contact physiotherapist appointments. Improvements in the service delivery model and a primary contact physiotherapist arranging diagnostic assessments could improve waitlist times and facilitate better utilisation of medical staff time.
CONCLUSIONS: The primary contact physiotherapist can help in the management of patients with suspected vestibulopathy on an ENT waitlist. This is achieved through: a reduction of patients requiring ENT review, improvements to waitlist time and improved utilisation of medical specialists\' time.
METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with data collected from a medical record audit. Over the study duration, the primary contact physiotherapist completed initial appointments with patients; follow-up appointments were subsequently conducted by medical staff.
RESULTS: There was a 46 per cent reduction in patients with suggested vestibulopathy requiring an ENT medical review. This reduction could hypothetically increase to 71 per cent with follow-up primary contact physiotherapist appointments. Improvements in the service delivery model and a primary contact physiotherapist arranging diagnostic assessments could improve waitlist times and facilitate better utilisation of medical staff time.
CONCLUSIONS: The primary contact physiotherapist can help in the management of patients with suspected vestibulopathy on an ENT waitlist. This is achieved through: a reduction of patients requiring ENT review, improvements to waitlist time and improved utilisation of medical specialists\' time.
摘要：
目的：为了检查在耳鼻喉科诊所中初级接触物理治疗师的新角色，在澳大利亚的队列和背景下，发展的两个阶段。
方法：采用从病历审核中收集的数据进行回顾性队列研究。在研究期间，主要接触物理治疗师完成了与患者的初次预约;随后由医务人员进行了随访预约.
结果：需要耳鼻喉科医学检查的前庭病变患者减少了46%。假设通过后续的主要接触物理治疗师预约，这种减少可能会增加到71％。服务交付模式的改进和安排诊断评估的主要接触物理治疗师可以改善候补时间，并促进更好地利用医务人员的时间。
结论：初级接触物理治疗师可以帮助处理耳鼻喉科候诊名单上的疑似前庭病变患者。这是通过：减少需要耳鼻喉科检查的患者，改进候补时间，提高医学专家的时间利用率。
方法：采用从病历审核中收集的数据进行回顾性队列研究。在研究期间，主要接触物理治疗师完成了与患者的初次预约;随后由医务人员进行了随访预约.
结果：需要耳鼻喉科医学检查的前庭病变患者减少了46%。假设通过后续的主要接触物理治疗师预约，这种减少可能会增加到71％。服务交付模式的改进和安排诊断评估的主要接触物理治疗师可以改善候补时间，并促进更好地利用医务人员的时间。
结论：初级接触物理治疗师可以帮助处理耳鼻喉科候诊名单上的疑似前庭病变患者。这是通过：减少需要耳鼻喉科检查的患者，改进候补时间，提高医学专家的时间利用率。
