Physiotherapists’ Perspectives on the Threats Facing Their Profession in the Areas of Leadership, Burnout, and Branding: A Pan-Canadian Perspective from the Physio Moves Canada Project, Part 3

Abstract

Purpose: Physiotherapist is the professional designation of those who provide physiotherapy (PT). Physiotherapists have earned a reputation as important providers of medical and non-medical rehabilitation for Canadians after injury, illness, or surgery. Despite the fact that physiotherapy has a nearly 100-year presence in Canada, some would suggest that practitioners arguably remain under-recognized for the value they offer to the spectrum of health care. Method: In the latter half of 2017, a cross-Canada qualitative study was conducted through which a subgroup of physiotherapists in every Canadian province and in Yukon Territory volunteered to share their perspectives on the threats facing the current practice of physiotherapy in the next 5–15 years. The data were collected from a series of nominal-group-technique-based focus groups and one-on-one interviews and then analyzed to condense the ideas generated into themes. A total of 117 physiotherapy professionals participated in focus sessions or one-on-one interviews as part of the Physio Moves Canada project, which was set up to explore, capture, and synthesize the perspectives of academics, front-line clinicians, and administrators on the future of the profession. Results: This article, the third in a series, describes the results of the descriptive thematic analysis of three identified threats: issues pertaining to professional leadership and direction, clinician burnout, and clarity of the physiotherapy brand. Informed by 11 sub-themes, the results suggest that participants were concerned about the ability of the professional body to mobilize toward shared and common goals while simultaneously defending against external pressures and internal disagreements on what exactly physiotherapy as a discipline is meant to be. Many respondents also identified reasons for optimism if the professional community is able to work together as a large and motivated single entity. Conclusions: The findings are described in terms of possible directions for priority investment of resources or critical reflection by professional leadership, educators, and regulators.