TY - JOUR
T1 - Australian osteopaths as non-medical prescribers
T2 - Comparison of healthcare practitioner characteristics from a nationally representative survey
AU - Vaughan, Brett
AU - Fleischmann, Michael
AU - Fitzgerald, Kylie
AU - Grace, Sandra
AU - Orrock, Paul
AU - Steel, Amie
N1 - Funding Information:
The ORION project is funded by Osteopathy Australia. The funding source had no influence in the design of the study and collection, analysis and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript. The research reported in this paper is the sole responsibility of the authors and reflects the independent ideas and scholarship of the authors alone. The authors thank Professor Jon Adams and Dr Wenbo Peng from the Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, for their input into the initial stages of the analysis and data interpretation. No funding was received for this study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 La Trobe University.
PY - 2020/10
Y1 - 2020/10
N2 - The study aimed to compare the characteristics of Australian osteopaths who definitely agree that prescribing scheduled medicines is part of their future scope of practice with those who do not. A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey of osteopaths from an Australian practice-based research network was undertaken. Demographic, practice and treatment characteristics were identified using inferential statistics and backward linear regression modelling. Over one-quarter (n = 257, 25.9%) of the total participants (n = 992) indicated that they 'definitely' agree that osteopaths should seek prescription rights. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) suggested these osteopaths were more likely to engage in medication discussions with patients (OR 1.88), frequently manage migraines (OR 1.68) and seek increased practice rights for referrals to medical specialists (OR 2.61) and diagnostic imaging (OR 2.79). Prescribing as part of the future scope of practice for Australian osteopaths is associated with patient management (medication discussions) and practice characteristics (increased referral rights for specialists and diagnostic imaging) that warrant additional investigation. Understanding of the practice, clinical and patient management characteristics of Australian osteopaths who see prescribing as part of the future scope of practice informs the case for regulatory and health policy changes for prescribing scheduled medicines.
AB - The study aimed to compare the characteristics of Australian osteopaths who definitely agree that prescribing scheduled medicines is part of their future scope of practice with those who do not. A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey of osteopaths from an Australian practice-based research network was undertaken. Demographic, practice and treatment characteristics were identified using inferential statistics and backward linear regression modelling. Over one-quarter (n = 257, 25.9%) of the total participants (n = 992) indicated that they 'definitely' agree that osteopaths should seek prescription rights. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) suggested these osteopaths were more likely to engage in medication discussions with patients (OR 1.88), frequently manage migraines (OR 1.68) and seek increased practice rights for referrals to medical specialists (OR 2.61) and diagnostic imaging (OR 2.79). Prescribing as part of the future scope of practice for Australian osteopaths is associated with patient management (medication discussions) and practice characteristics (increased referral rights for specialists and diagnostic imaging) that warrant additional investigation. Understanding of the practice, clinical and patient management characteristics of Australian osteopaths who see prescribing as part of the future scope of practice informs the case for regulatory and health policy changes for prescribing scheduled medicines.
KW - manual therapy
KW - musculoskeletal
KW - non-medical prescribing
KW - osteopathic medicine
KW - prescription medicine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85091459870&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/PY19248
DO - 10.1071/PY19248
M3 - Review article
C2 - 32883407
AN - SCOPUS:85091459870
VL - 26
SP - 417
EP - 423
JO - Australian Journal of Primary Health
JF - Australian Journal of Primary Health
SN - 1448-7527
IS - 5
ER -