Entry-to-Practice Business and Practice Management Competencies: A Qualitative Systematic Review to Inform Canadian Physiotherapy Curricula

Abstract

There is increasing demand for business skills among healthcare professionals. The aim of this qualitative systematic review was to identify and summarize existing business and practice management (BPM) competencies for rehabilitation university graduates with the intention to inform curricula. The key electronic databases searched include ABI/INFORM Global, CINAHL, Education Source, Embase, and Medline. The initial search was performed in December 2018 and updated June 2021 with the following inclusion criteria: articles addressing BMP competencies in university-level rehabilitation programs in developed countries. To ensure professional position statements and standards documents were captured, this grey literature was also included. Resources were extracted using EndNote and two reviewers independently screened and appraised the resources using the AACODS Checklist. Nine resources met the inclusion criteria and were incorporated in the qualitative synthesis. Quality-assessment scores ranged from 4 to 6 out of 6 on the AACODS Checklist. Several practice management competencies were consistent across multiple rehabilitation professions. However, business competencies were inconsistent with “marketing” and the “ability to develop a business plan” arising sporadically across Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy competency profiles, as well as individual audiology courses. There is insufficient evidence to suggest that a consensus exists for BPM competencies for rehabilitation university graduates in Canada. The aggregate list of 64 competencies compiled can be used to inform further research.