Integration of Massage Therapy in Primary Care Pilot Project - Report of Results
Integration of Massage Therapy in Primary Care Pilot Project - Report of Results
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In 2023, the RMTAO entered an agreement to integrate two RMTs into the primary care team at West Toronto Community Health Services (WTCHS). This pilot project was designed to evaluate the costs and benefits of integrating massage therapy into primary care teams, with the goal to further integrate massage therapy into the public primary care system in the future.
Patients at WTCHS who wouldn't otherwise have access to massage therapy care, and who experienced conditions that could benefit from massage therapy, were selected to participate in the pilot. The patients participating were surveyed about their experiences with massage therapy. Some demographic data was also collected to provide further information about the patients participating.
The participants had an overwhelmingly positive response to receiving massage therapy treatment. They reported feeling that their needs were heard and understood, and their treatments were tailored to meet their needs. They felt the RMT explained everything well, and appreciated the opportunity to ask questions. They also indicated that they were overall more satisfied with their care at WTCHS after the introduction of massage therapy care.
There were also improved outcomes reports as part of this pilot. Participants felt that after massage therapy treatment they could better manage their condition and had an improved quality of life. Many indicated that the ability to have more massage therapy sessions would be even more helpful, and there was an agreement that prioritizing patients with acute injuries/muscle tightness, lymphedema, and those with gastrointestinal issues to have the greatest possible impact with limited resources. Participants also stated that massage therapy care allowed them to take less pain medication, and see their doctor or nurse practitioner less often.
Overall, the feedback and results for participating patients was outstanding. The RMTAO will be meeting with a variety of government officials to share these results, with the goal of integrating massage therapy into additional primary care settings. We look forward to providing you with more information on these meetings and on future efforts in primary care integration.
You can also watch a webinar presented by Marguerite Merey, one of the RMTs participating in the pilot, and Emily Stevenson, Director of Interprofessional Primary Health Care - Allied Health at WTCHS, explaining the results of the report in the video below.