Manual skills workshops for primary care physicians in Israel: A comprehensive analysis

Abstract

Abstract Background Some of the most common complaints addressed by primary care physicians (PCPs) require manual interventions, such as lacerations repair, abscesses drainage, ingrown toenails removal, dry needling for myofascial pain syndrome, and Epley maneuver for treating benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). The aim of this study was to describe the manual skills workshops program for PCPs, implemented in Maccabi Healthcare Services and to investigate how many PCPs participated and used the skills since the program's inception in 2017. Methods In this observational study, we followed all participants in courses that were held during 2017–2021. We extracted all procedures that were made during these years by PCPs in MHS who learned the skill. Results During the study period, 620 PCPs participated in workshops for dry needling, soft-tissue and joint injections, BPPV treatment, minor surgical procedures, and spirometry. Most procedures performed were dry needling (average annual number 3,537) and minor surgical procedures (average annual number 361). The average annual use per physician was highest for dry needling (annual average use per physician who used the learned skill was 50.9), followed by soft tissue and joints injections (16.8), minor surgical procedures (14.8) and BPPV treatment (7.5). Conclusion Manual skills workshops may expand PCPs' therapeutic arsenal, thus empowering PCPs and providing more comprehensive care for patients. Some manual skills, such as dry needling, soft tissue injections, and the Epley maneuver, were more likely to be used by participants than other skills, such as spirometry and soft tissue injections.