Following a 7-week, 12,000 km coast-to-coast tour of physiotherapy in Canada, Dr. David Walton PT PhD and his research team from Western University are nearing the completion of the first phase of the Physio Moves Canada project with four more visits with unique and innovative physiotherapy practices and two more community clinician focus sessions. The site visits are occurring through September in Toronto and London, with one clinician focus session scheduled at Elborn College in London Ontario on September 19 from 6-8pm, and another the following night in Toronto (location yet to be confirmed) September 20 again from 6-8pm.
The project has addressed several key issues facing physiotherapy in Canada. These include creation of a unified definition of mobility that is meaningful to Canadians, an ethnographic qualitative study of innovative and unique practice settings across the country, the impact of receiving physiotherapy care on the well-being of consumers, and future-focused questions regarding the threats, opportunities, research and educational priorities that are likely to affect physiotherapy in the next 5 to 10 years. These questions are intended to ensure that physiotherapy clinicians, researchers, and educators are ready for what’s coming and can prepare now to ensure we continue to not just survive but thrive in a future expected to be dominated by new technologies, shifting demographics and shifting funding models.
All clinicians are welcome to attend either of the remaining focus sessions. Please visit www.physiomovescanada.com and click on the ‘Events’ page to register for the sessions, and if you would like to contribute but are unable to make it in person, feel free to contact Dave directly at dwalton5@uwo.ca. This project has been generously supported by Western University, the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, the Ontario Physiotherapy Association, PTAlberta College + Association, l’Association Quebecoise de la Physiotherapie, the Newfoundland and Laborador Physiotherapy Association, the PEI Physiotherapy Association, the Nova Scotia Physiotherapy Association, the New Brunswick Physiotherapy Association, and the Manitoba Physiotherapy Association. We thank all of our sponsors and all clinicians and their clients who have contributed to this outstanding and impactful research project. Watch for conference presentations starting later this year and scientific publications in 2018, and follow the project on Twitter (@PTMovesCanada), Facebook (PhysioMovesCanada), Instagram (PhysioMovesCanada), YouTube (www.youtube.com/davewaltonPT) and the blog at physiomovescanada.com.
