Elaine M Hay, Nadine E Foster, Elaine Thomas, George Peat, Mike Phelan, Hannah E Yates, Alison Blenkinsopp, Julius Sim
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two primary care strategies for delivering evidence based care to people aged 55 or over with knee pain. 325 adults aged 55 years or over were grouped into either enhanced pharmacy review (pharmacological management in accordance with an algorithm), community physiotherapy (advice about activity and pacing and an individualised exercise programme) or a control group(advice leaflet reinforced by telephone call). The authors conclude that evidence based care for older adults with knee pain, delivered by primary care physiotherapists and pharmacists, resulted in short term improvements in health outcomes, reduced use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and high patient satisfaction. Physiotherapy seemed to produce a shift in consultation behaviour away from the traditional general practitioner led model of care.
BMJ, 2006;333:995 (11 November)