multidisciplinary team

On rural placement, a male patient was referred to physiotherapy from doctors with a history of hip pain following a work accident. On assesment, the physiotehrapist picked up numerous red flags - weight loss >40kg in 5 weeks, vomitting and nausea, insidious onset of pain associated with a cracking noise in the hip. We made the call to send him back to GP for further investigations.

The patient was admitted to ward later during the week. His x-rays from four weeks previous were deemed normal for changes to hip. On review of current xrays, the physiotherapist picked up on a lump on the lung and changes to the pelvic rim. We alerted the doctors ASAP and further investigations concluded that this patient had cancer.

So the doctors had to tell the patient that it was too advanced and there was no possible treatment. It just shows, that as a physiotherapist, we have a role in diagnosing patients and always look at the xrays - you may see something the doctors didnt and never be affraid to voice your opinions.