JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

A new recommendation is included in the revised Royal Dutch Society for Physiotherapy guidelines for COPD: a patient’s physical activity level should be assessed with an activity tracker (AT).

Objective:

This study aims to: 1) assess how and why ATs are currently used in physical therapy in COPD patients, and 2) determine which barriers and facilitators are of relevance for optimal implementation of ATs during the clinical reasoning process of physical therapists in COPD patients.

Methods:

herefore this study aims to: 1) assess how and why ATs are currently used in physical therapy in COPD patients, and 2) determine which barriers and facilitators are of relevance for optimal implementation of ATs during the clinical reasoning process of physical therapists in COPD patients.

Results:

In total 211 completed surveys were analyzed. Of the 211 participating physical therapists, 108 (52%) used ATs, whereas most of them (75%) already used ATs before it was advised in the guideline. Physical therapists indicate that the most important reason to use ATs is that they experience it as an added healthcare value. Both users and non-users indicated that the most important reason why they don’t use ATs is because their patients don’t want to use an AT. The second reason was lack of knowledge in the non-user group.

Conclusions:

Overall, these results show that ATs are not yet fully implemented in the Dutch general physical therapy practice in patients with COPD. Physical therapists need guidance for the successful implementation of ATs. This could be accomplished by providing training for physical therapists, integrating ATs into the education of (future) physical therapists, and providing support during the implementation process of ATs.