Gödl-Purrer B1,2, Meller K3, Stelzhammer C4, Muzar N2
1FH Joanneum Graz, Physiotherapy, Graz, Austria, 2Physio Austria, Vienna, Austria, 3Krankenhaus Göttlicher Heiland GmbH, Physiotherapy, Vienna, Austria, 4FH Campus Wien, Physiotherapy, Vienna, Austria
Background: In Austria, one of the requirements of the planned health reform is the development of competency profiles for all health professions. These profiles should define specializations within the field and clearly indicate their range of responsibilities. A current issue which needs to be addressed are the types of qualifications needed as a physiotherapist working in primary, secondary and tertiary care. Within this context, the topic of possible career paths plays an important role in health institutions on international, national and regional levels. In Austria, to date no specialization pathways for clinical physiotherapists are described. In other countries, models of specialization have already been established.
Purpose: In 2011 the theme »specialization« was the topic of a project run by the board of Physio Austria. The result of this project was a model description. As a further project a general profile of competencies has been developed and published (Eckler et al. 2016, 2017). The next step was to assign two pilot working groups with the task of defining specific competencies and learning outcomes for the clinical fields physiotherapy in gynaecology, obstetrics, urology, proctology (GOUP)) and sports physiotherapy. The description of competencies for each of these specific fields was largely based on the general competency profile.
Methods: The competency profile for GOUP was developed by a working group consisting of members of the expert network of Physio Austria, with the know-how in the respective subject areas. The working group members reviewed the related literature and descriptions of existing models for specialization in pelvic physiotherapy in other countries. In addition the education landscape in Austria was analyzed, and a circular process with feedback and reflection loops within the national network GOUP and the representatives of Physio Austria was applied.
Finally the competency profile was generated and described in the seven roles: Expert in Physiotherapy; Communicator; Team worker/Collaborator; Manager; Health Care Promoter; Innovator; Professional. The learning outcomes for the roles of an expert for specific subject areas (continence disorders and pelvic floor dysfunctions, oncology of the pelvic organs, pelvic pain, male and female life cycles, sexual function disorders, pregnancy, birth and postpartum regression, neurogenic voiding disorders, paediatric continence disorders) and for the role of a communicator were formulated .
Results: A full description of competencies and learning outcomes for the subject areas within GOUP has been finished in 2016/17. As specialization is a postgraduate education process, learning outcomes were described for study education level 7 as defined by the European Qualifications Framework (EQR).
Conclusion(s): The final competence profile will act as a guideline for physiotherapists who are interested in focusing on a particular field and would need to know the framework of requirements for a structured development within that area.
Implications: The GOUP profile now forms the base for implementing the model of specialization in GOUP. Furthermore, it is expected that legislators, employers and social insurance providers will use these competency profiles as a basis for decision making, e.g. for hiring specialized personnel.
Keywords: Competency profile, specialization, pelvic physiottherapy
Funding acknowledgements: The work was initialized and supported by Physio Austria
Purpose: In 2011 the theme »specialization« was the topic of a project run by the board of Physio Austria. The result of this project was a model description. As a further project a general profile of competencies has been developed and published (Eckler et al. 2016, 2017). The next step was to assign two pilot working groups with the task of defining specific competencies and learning outcomes for the clinical fields physiotherapy in gynaecology, obstetrics, urology, proctology (GOUP)) and sports physiotherapy. The description of competencies for each of these specific fields was largely based on the general competency profile.
Methods: The competency profile for GOUP was developed by a working group consisting of members of the expert network of Physio Austria, with the know-how in the respective subject areas. The working group members reviewed the related literature and descriptions of existing models for specialization in pelvic physiotherapy in other countries. In addition the education landscape in Austria was analyzed, and a circular process with feedback and reflection loops within the national network GOUP and the representatives of Physio Austria was applied.
Finally the competency profile was generated and described in the seven roles: Expert in Physiotherapy; Communicator; Team worker/Collaborator; Manager; Health Care Promoter; Innovator; Professional. The learning outcomes for the roles of an expert for specific subject areas (continence disorders and pelvic floor dysfunctions, oncology of the pelvic organs, pelvic pain, male and female life cycles, sexual function disorders, pregnancy, birth and postpartum regression, neurogenic voiding disorders, paediatric continence disorders) and for the role of a communicator were formulated .
Results: A full description of competencies and learning outcomes for the subject areas within GOUP has been finished in 2016/17. As specialization is a postgraduate education process, learning outcomes were described for study education level 7 as defined by the European Qualifications Framework (EQR).
Conclusion(s): The final competence profile will act as a guideline for physiotherapists who are interested in focusing on a particular field and would need to know the framework of requirements for a structured development within that area.
Implications: The GOUP profile now forms the base for implementing the model of specialization in GOUP. Furthermore, it is expected that legislators, employers and social insurance providers will use these competency profiles as a basis for decision making, e.g. for hiring specialized personnel.
Keywords: Competency profile, specialization, pelvic physiottherapy
Funding acknowledgements: The work was initialized and supported by Physio Austria
Topic: Professional issues; Education: continuing professional development; Globalisation: health systems, policies & strategies
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: Physio Austria
Ethics committee: in Austria no ethics approval required
Reason not required: This is an empirical work, in connection with professional development.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
