Facilitators and barriers for physiotherapists to engage in goal-setting with patients during their hospital stay – a mixed-methods study

Background Goal-setting is an integral component of patient-centered physiotherapeutic care, but its implementation in clinical practice can be expanded. We aim to identify existing facilitators and barriers for physiotherapists to document the patient´s treatment goal in the electronic health records.

Method To identify influencing factors, a survey and focus group discussions were conducted in a university hospital. The utilized survey was informed by literature and contained 25 statements. The focus groups addressed two identified barriers from the survey, discussed the process of setting treatment goals, and brainstormed existing influencing factors for documenting physiotherapeutic goals.

Results Eight physiotherapists participated in the survey as well as in the focus group discussions, respectively. In the survey, they conflicted on most statements, but agreed that the patient goal 1) was set with the patient, 2) influences the therapeutic interventions, and 3) can motivate patients and therapists. The participants disagreed that 1) another goal-setting tool was needed, 2) the goal is influential beyond the hospital stay, and 3) the goal is of interest to other professions. In the focus group discussions, four main themes evolved: 1) “Goal”, 2) “Physiotherapeutic Self-Conception”, 3) “Interprofessionality”, and “Hospital Setting” .

Conclusions Facilitating the documentation of patient-centered physiotherapeutic goals in hospital settings requires careful design and integration of the tool in collaboration with interprofessional staff, whose engagement can foster documentation practices. Recognition of professional self-conception influencing the goal-setting process is essential, as acknowledging situations where physiotherapists may need to set goals independently from patient input.

Publication History

Article published online:
21 May 2025