Posts Tagged ‘psychosocial flags’
Psychosocial Flags
As one on the frontlines for 20 years the concept of “flags” was useful to provide a strategy for integrating multiple elements into patient management strategies. Unfortunately , much like pain management programs recognition has driven a hands off strategy of patient management on the basis that “manual therapy” is either ineffective or creates dependance in this patient group.
The converse view is that manual therapy and functionally specific rehabilitation can be used directly as a cognitive-behavioural strategy to address specific patient complaints / functional impairments. As physiotherapists we need to recognise that any interactions we have with patients have cognitive / emotive connotations and there is no practical reason why physical means cannot be used to facilitate this approach as an adjunct or an alternative to psychotherapy techniques
Those who attended the “Decade of the Flags” conference in Keel university at the end of 2007 will know that primary care clinicians can now no longer hide behind professional boundaries as an excuse not to challenge patients distorted beliefs or facilitate rehabilitation programs which are tailored to their needs.
This obviously poses clinical challenges but the facts won’t go away by passing the buck.
What do you find the most challenging aspects of of this situation?