A Critical Continuum of Care: Physiotherapy from the Emergency Department to Community Physiotherapy Clinics

OPA leadership met with two OPA members, Makaila Koshurba and Riley Pedulla, to learn more about the role and opportunities for physiotherapists working in emergency departments (EDs).

Sarah Hutchison, OPA CEO, Emily Stevenson, Director of Practice and Policy, Courtney Bean, OPA President, and Charlotte Anderson, OPA President Elect heard from Makaila and Riley about the importance of physiotherapists within the community. With the recent announcement about funding stagnation of the Community Physiotherapy Clinic (CPC) Program, they spoke to the importance of access to the CPC program for patients they assess in the EDs to ensure appropriate follow up and care.

“As physiotherapists (PTs) in the ED, we know from firsthand experience the benefits of Community Physiotherapy Clinics. Daily, we assess and treat patients who benefit significantly from physiotherapy follow-up in the community. These patients often cannot afford private physiotherapy services and are referred to a CPC when eligible. Funding stagnation of the CPC program puts a large population at risk of losing access to essential care. CPCs prevent 70,000 ED visits annually and lack of support for the program risks increasing the burden on EDs as these patients return seeking answers to questions about their diagnosis, rehabilitation, and return to function.”

Recent Announcement Puts Patients at Risk

Despite a proven track record that Community Physiotherapy Clinics reduce strain on the healthcare system, the Ontario government recently notified CPCs that there will be no change to patient funding or program capacity over the next two years. Specifically, CPCs reduce visits to primary care, emergency departments (EDs), specialists, and prevent acute care admissions. This dearth of funding puts our patients and clinics at risk as service provision cannot keep up with patient needs.

The CPC funding issue creates a large gap in the continuum of physiotherapy services from acute care to community-based care. Increasingly, Ontario EDs have physiotherapists who assess and manage care for patients presenting with cardiorespiratory, neurological, and/or musculoskeletal (MSK) complaints. ED PTs see a variety of patients ranging from elderly people with hip fractures to young athletes worried about a concussion, and everything in between. Growing evidence supports the integration of physiotherapy in EDs highlighting significant benefits such as reduced wait times, improved patient satisfaction, and potential cost savings (Ocampo-Chan & Levy, 2025). However, not all Ontario EDs have physiotherapists, and not all physiotherapy care models in EDs are the same.

There is a significant opportunity to ensure PTs are placed in all EDs across the province, and to utilize the PT scope of practice to the fullest extent. For many patients, especially those without private health insurance or access to publicly funded services, ED-based physiotherapy may be their only timely, affordable option for physiotherapy care.

“In our experience, both patients and physicians have called the patient-centred, compassionate, and comprehensive approach that physiotherapists provide an essential part of healthy recovery.“

Physiotherapists help patients feel more confident at discharge and help physicians by tackling cases that require more support than can usually be provided in busy EDs. Patients who see ED physiotherapists receive non-pharmacological pain management strategies, clarity about their prognosis and diagnosis, and activity modifications to help them return to the community.

CPCs Essential for Preventing Emergency Visits and Future Injuries

A key part of the PT ED role is also to direct patients to the appropriate follow up care. However, without a reliable follow-up point of care like the CPCs, we anticipate a higher rate of return to emergency departments for this patient population. The importance of CPC programming cannot be understated. Patients seen in the ED benefit from access to CPCs to continue their care, fully rehabilitate, and prevent future injuries. The budget silence on CPC is not just a physiotherapy issue; it negatively impacts the residents of Ontario, their local EDs, and ultimately burdens an already strained system.

CPCs have been a staple in community care and continue to provide people in Ontario with essential services. Program funding should reflect the indispensable nature of the services provided. Furthermore, dedicated physiotherapists should be available in every Ontario ED. We ask that our physiotherapy colleagues support OPA’s advocacy by signing the petition in response to the CPC funding crisis. We also ask that those working in an acute care setting consider whether their ED has dedicated physiotherapy coverage, and if not, to consider advocating for it. It is time that our staffing models, funding structures, and our government catch up to what the evidence and our patients have been telling us for years.

About Makaila and Riley

Makaila Koshurba and Riley Pedulla are Registered Physiotherapists working in urban EDs. They are passionate about healthcare quality, health equity, and health system transformation. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors alone and do not represent the positions of their employers or affiliated institutions.

Sign Our Petition

OPA continues to advocate for the Government of Ontario to reconsider their decision to provide no increases to funding or capacity in the CPC program. Join our advocacy by signing our petition, write your local MPP or sign your name to our letter to Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones. Contact OPA with any questions.

References

1. Tepper, J., et al. (2016). (rep.). Under Pressure: Emergency Department Performance in Ontario. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://www.hqontario.ca/Portals/0/documents/system-performance/under-pressure-report-en.pdf.

2. Ocampo-Chan, S. A., & Levy, C. (2025). Rehabilitation in emergency departments: A regional scan and future opportunities. Healthcare management forum, 38(3), 263–272. https://doi.org/10.1177/08404704241292240