Reshaping the management of low back pain in the emergency department

In Australia, low back pain (LBP) is the 5th most common cause of presentation to emergency departments (EDs). However, most LBP cases seen in EDs are non-serious and non-urgent, and they place a significant pressure on ED staff, who are trained managing patients with urgent health problems. The project aims to develop, implement and evaluate a novel model of care for patients with LBP presenting to EDs. The novel model of care includes 1) a triage approach to identify ED patients with non- urgent LBP who can be redirected to outpatient setting, 2) reshaping the ED workforce to give better access to physiotherapists for patients requiring within ED care, and 3) a virtual care for patients requiring hospitalisation who could manage themselves at home, with remote consultation with hospital-based clinicians. If successful, this model of care will be a solution to relieve significant pressure on EDs in Australia and globally and will allow to improve healthcare services efficiency.

Faculty Supervisor:

Hugo Massé-Alarie

Student:

Partner:

University of Sydney

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

Université Laval

Program: