Factors associated with patient-satisfaction in student-led physiotherapy clinics: A qualitative study

Background and Purpose: Student-led physiotherapy clinics are a valuable means for providing clinical education opportunities for student learning and providing cost-effective services to the public. Understanding patient satisfaction within the student-led physiotherapy clinic setting is important to inform organizational, educational, and clinical processes that aim to balance both student learning experiences and quality patient care. Design: A cross-sectional qualitative design using semi-structured interviews. Results: A total of 20 patients from three different university student-led physiotherapy clinics were interviewed. Five major themes were associated with patient satisfaction, style of supervision, student-supervisor relationship, quality of physiotherapy care, student qualities and cost, and location of the service. Conclusion: The results emphasize the importance placed by patients on effective communication, as well as the relationship between the supervisor and student overseeing their care. The findings highlight the influence of both the student and supervisor on patient satisfaction and provide insight into the style of student supervision from the perspective of the patient.