Pelvic Floor Muscle Training - Resources

Download your Pelvic-floor Physiotherapy Patient Questionnaire here.

This questionnaire can be given on a patient’s first appointment, or when they are initially referred.  Scoring is straightforward, each item scores from 1 to 5, with items 1, 4, 7, 8, 12, 15, 17, and 26 reverse scored.  This gives a general ‘likelihood to attend’ score.  A score of 90 or less indicates they are unlikely to come along for the appointment.  However, as with all scales, it’s just an indication.  The internal reliability of the scale is over 0.85 (Cronbach alpha).

Underpinning research and practical steps. Read more here.

Reducing DNA rates by supporting patients on waiting lists

The Osborne et (2017) study explored whether:

1. Brief tele-support might improve initial attendance at PFMT group-sessions?
2. There would be an optimal target population to whom tele-support could be delivered?

Background

Waiting-list times are a key issue for the NHS.

Longer waiting-list times produce poorer patient attendance.

Non-attendance is financially costly:

• Potential expensive surgery.

• Physiotherapy staff time.

Appointment reminders have been studied, but involve problems for this patient group:

• Text and SMS are cheap and effective, but may not work well with an older population.
• Phone reminders can work, but are not as effective for those with mental health problems, or in poor socio-economic situations.

Tele-support intervention

The telephone calls were:

• Made 3 days before or after the initial invitation letter was received (4 weeks pre-appointment).

       – 5 min (range = 2-10 min) long.

       – Made to landline numbers.

• Made during afternoons and early evenings.

Study Details

• 128 consecutively referred women on waiting list (mean age = 51.47; mean BMI = 29.56) with pelvic floor dysfunction
• Randomly divided into 3 groups:

• No telephone call (n = 47).
• Groups receiving a telephone call demonstrated 80% attendance, with no difference between the two groups (pre versus post letter).
• Group receiving no call had significantly lower attendance rates (50%) than the two telephone call groups
• The brief tele-support was more effective for patients who:
  • Were older.
  • Came from less socio-economically deprived areas.
  • Had been on the waiting list for less time.

o   Telephone call pre-invitation letter (n = 37).

o   Telephone call post-invitation letter (n = 44).

Brief Tele-support details and script

• Give a brief introduction – who you are, and why you are calling.
• Give details of appointment – when and where the appointment is to be held.
• Outline treatment and possible benefits – keep this short, but reassure that this is not a ‘gym’ class.
• Answer any patient questions – these will differ, but gives a chance to build rapport early.