Call for papers - Physiotherapists as first contact practitioners

Guest Editors

Jordan Miller, MSc, PhD, Queen’s University, Canada
Andrews K. Tawiah, PhD, Western University, Canada

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 18 December 2025

BMC Primary Care is calling for submissions to our Collection on Physiotherapists as first contact practitioners. This Collection seeks to explore the role of physiotherapists as first contact practitioners in primary healthcare. We invite submissions that examine the implications of this evolving role, including outcomes, training requirements, and integration into healthcare systems. The goal is to inform evidence-based practices that enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of physiotherapy services, ultimately improving patient care.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Jordan Miller, MSc, PhD, Queen’s University, Canada

Dr Jordan Miller is an Associate Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy and Member of the Health Services and Policy and Research Institute at Queen’s University. He is an award-winning educator with experience teaching, mentoring, and supervising students in Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Science, Rehabilitation and Health Leadership, Aging and Health, Health Sciences, and Biostatistics. His research focuses on advancing evidence on interprofessional, team-based primary care models and enhancing pain management supports to improve the lives of people living with pain.

Andrews K. Tawiah, PhD, Western University, Canada

Dr Andrews Tawiah is an Assistant Professor at the School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences at Western University in Canada. His research focuses on developing and evaluating advanced practice models of care. His educational scholarship encompasses competency development and AI in health professions education. He teaches in the Advanced Health Care Practice and Physical Therapy Master's programs at Western. He has led the development of the global competency framework and the pan-Canadian Framework for advanced practice physiotherapy.

About the Collection

BMC Primary Care is calling for submissions to our Collection Physiotherapists as first contact practitioners. Physiotherapists acting in this role are gaining increasing recognition in the landscape of primary healthcare. This shift acknowledges the capabilities of physiotherapists to assess, diagnose, and manage conditions, allowing patients to access care more efficiently. In various healthcare systems around the world, physiotherapists are now positioned at the frontline of patient interaction, often serving as the initial point of contact for individuals seeking treatment for pain or injury. This Collection aims to explore the implications of this evolving role and its potential impact on healthcare delivery.

Ongoing research supports new models of care that capitalize on the expertise of physiotherapists as first contact practitioners. This may include the development of enhanced training programs, the establishment of standardized protocols for diagnosis and treatment, and innovative approaches to collaborative care. Such advancements could ultimately lead to improved patient satisfaction, health outcomes, and overall efficiency in healthcare delivery.

In this Collection, we welcome submissions that span a wide array of topics, including but not limited to:

Outcomes of physiotherapy as first contact care
Training requirements for first contact physiotherapists
Integration of physiotherapy in primary care
Telehealth applications in physiotherapy practice

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select Physiotherapists as first contact practitioners from the dropdown menu.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.