New: Chronic low back pain now eligible for our Physiotherapy Program

Low back pain is the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide and was raised by physicians during the initial consultations on our Physiotherapy Program’s design.

So, after carefully monitoring program capacity, we are expanding our Physiotherapy Program to include:

• Adults with chronic low back pain (pain for more than three months or a history of episodes of three-plus months)
• The GLA:D Back program (an in-person, seven-week program with two group education sessions and 12 group exercise sessions)

Please note: This GLA:D Back program is separate from the Alberta Back Care pathway and does not require additional physician involvement like the research project did.

Patient eligibility is clearly detailed in the inclusion-exclusion criteria on the updated referral form so you can quickly reference it when considering making a referral. Most chronic low back pain patients will be referred to the GLA:D Back program with community-based services as an alternative for those who are ineligible for GLA:D Back .

Chronic low back pain inclusion criteria:

• The patient:
  • Is aged 18 and up with recurrent/persistent chronic low back pain (pain for more than three months or a history of episodes of three-plus months)
  • Requires physical rehabilitation and/or pain management and can actively participate in physiotherapy to achieve a positive outcome
  • Is motivated and willing to participate in group exercise settings and perform a home exercise program
• And you have reviewed the exclusion criteria (below and page 2 on the referral form) and confirmed eligibility

Chronic low back pain exclusion criteria:

• History of back surgery
• Lumbar or thoracic fracture, including stress fracture
• Diagnosed with a pain syndrome, including complex pain syndrome, myofascial pain syndrome, or fibromyalgia
• Radicular signs or radiculopathy
• Diagnosed with an inflammatory joint disease (i.e., ankylosing spondylitis/rheumatoid arthritis)
• Eligible for coverage (e.g., receiving AISH, recent fracture or surgery qualifying for AHS physio, etc.) or currently receiving care from AHS Outpatient and Community Physiotherapy Services (if so, refer to Rehab Advice Line at 1.833.379.0563)
• Eligible for coverage from Workers Compensation Board, Automobile Accident Insurance Benefits, or unused extended health benefits
• Has the financial resources to pay out of pocket
• Receiving physiotherapy or has received physiotherapy within the last year through an AHS-funded program for the same diagnosis or previously received treatment through our Physiotherapy Program for the same diagnosis

For ineligible patients, please review our concise summary of alternative services.

To refer:

• You can immediately download the updated referral form, upload it to your EMR, or print it to make a referral.
• To save time, our Health Information Coordinators will add it to clinic EMRs, where possible, and members can contact their Physician Liaison if they need additional information to add the form.
• Please remember to review the inclusion-exclusion criteria on the form before referring and to check off the “REQUIRED” checkbox on page 1.

Open the updated form

Physiotherapy Program refresher

Eligible patients are those without coverage by other health payers, financial means, or access to AHS-funded services and one of the following:

• Aged 18 and up with recurrent/persistent chronic low back pain
• Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain
• Joint-related degenerative hip and/or knee pain due to osteoarthritis (OA)

The eligible back, shoulder, hip, and knee conditions were determined by physician feedback and program capacity. (Please review this FAQ document for more details on the program’s development.)

All members can refer eligible patients for a 30-minute virtual or phone appointment with one of our Physiotherapists who expertly assess their needs and connect them to the appropriate type of care:

• Physiotherapy Program: In-person GLA:D Back program (two education sessions on pain neuroscience and biopsychosocial concepts and 12 group exercise sessions emphasizing movement quality and strengthening and functional activities)
• Physiotherapy Program: In-person GLA:D Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis program (two education sessions about OA and self-management and 12 group exercise sessions over seven weeks to build strength through functional exercises and learn to apply the exercises to everyday activities)
• Physiotherapy Program: In-person, one-on-one physiotherapy appointments (up to six appointments, including a one-hour initial assessment appointment; follow-up appointments are 30 minutes and based on the plan of care developed with the patient in the first appointment)
• Physiotherapy Program: Exercise-based rehabilitation plan developed by our Physiotherapists with the patient for self-management (our Physiotherapists will then follow up with the patient virtually)
• External services: Referral to an AHS or community-based program (e.g., Alberta Healthy Living Program, etc.) — please follow up with your patients referred outside of our Physiotherapy Program

The contracted service providers for the one-on-one appointments and GLA:D programs offer:

• Numerous locations in Calgary (view location addresses or locations on a map)
• Appointments during the day and evening throughout the workweek and morning and afternoon appointments on Saturdays

Program monitoring and evaluation will continue along with evaluation of contracted service providers for quality assurance.

Please ensure you are only referring eligible, motivated patients who would benefit from our limited resources for physiotherapy (focused on improving quality of life and leading to a virtuous cycle of improvement of other health conditions).

For the notifications you can expect after a referral, you can review the step-by-step patient journey and communication back to referring physician updated process flow map.

Open the process flow map

Questions? Please contact your Physician Liaison.