The integration of physical therapy (PT) into primary care has shown significant benefits in patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency. Veterans suffering from chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain, mobility, or vestibular issues often face challenges in accessing non-pharmaceutical treatments....
No actionable change for audiologists or hearing care professionals; this study addresses musculoskeletal primary care integration in the VA system and has no direct audiology application.
While outside core audiology practice, this VA integrated-care model demonstrates a system-level framework that could inspire similar primary care integration efforts for hearing health services in veteran populations.
- 01VA's PACT-PT program embedded physical therapists within primary care teams at Veterans Health Administration sites.
- 02Program improved healthcare access and clinical outcomes for veterans with chronic musculoskeletal conditions.
- 03Published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
- 04Study provides a healthcare integration model potentially relevant to audiology services within the VA.
- 05No audiology-specific outcomes or hearing-related data were reported.
Integrating physical therapy into VA primary care (PACT-PT) improved outcomes and healthcare access for veterans with chronic musculoskeletal conditions.
studysupported- PMID
- 42118186
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11606-026-10411-9.
- Journal
- Journal of General Internal Medicine
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 2b
- Population
- Veterans with chronic musculoskeletal conditions receiving care through the Veterans Health Administration
- Intervention
- Integration of physical therapy into VA primary care (PACT-PT program)
- Comparator
- Usual VA primary care without embedded physical therapy
Primary outcomes
Healthcare access for veterans with musculoskeletal conditions; Clinical outcomes for chronic musculoskeletal conditions
