Survey of Patient Knowledge of Osteopathic Physicians and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment
Peter D. Snell, OMS II1; Obaydah A. AbdurRaqeeb, DO, MS2; Tiffany L. Smith, BA2; Matthew M. Huckabee, BE1; Amy Keenum, DO, PharmD2
1Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Harrogate, Tennessee; 2University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Objective: This study sought to assess outpatient knowledge of osteopathic physicians (ie, DOs) and osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) by comparing them to other common allied health doctors and medical therapies, respectively, at a family medicine clinic where DOs both practice and administer OMT.
Hypothesis: Our hypothesis was that respondents would be (1) less familiar with DOs when compared with other common allied health practitioners and (2) less familiar with OMT when compared with other common medical therapies.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 124 patients were approached to complete a written survey while waiting to be seen by their physician (DO or allopathic physician [ie, MD]) at a family medicine clinic where DOs practice and administer OMT. Using a Likert scale, respondents were asked to state how familiar they were with what an MD, chiropractor (ie, DC), dentist (ie, DDS), optometrist (ie, OD), podiatrist (ie, DPM), physical therapist (ie, DPT), and DO does. Similarly, respondents were asked to state how familiar they were with homeopathic remedies (HM), physical therapy (PT), chiropractic therapy (CT), and OMT. Also, respondents were asked to rate how similar a DO is to an MD, DC, DDS, OD, DPM, and DPT.
Results: Twelve patients refused to participate, leaving 112 patients who were enrolled in the study. A 5-point Likert scale, from not at all familiar (1) to extremely familiar (5) was used. The mean score for familiarity with DOs (2.76) was lower than that of every other type of practitioner (MD, 4.21; DC, 3.79; DDS, 4.23; OD, 3.85; DPM, 3.62; DPT, 4.23). Further, those who were at all familiar with DOs were significantly more familiar with every other type of practitioner than those who were not at all familiar with DOs (P<.01). On the other hand, respondents felt that DOs were more similar to MDs as opposed to any other type of practitioner (MD, 3.21; DC, 2.79; DDS, 2.21; OD, 1.94; DPM, 2.08; DPT, 2.48). Also, the mean score for familiarity with OMT (1.70) was lower than every other type of therapy (HM, 2.60; PT, 4.46; CT, 3.63).
Conclusion: Our survey revealed that respondents were overall (1) less familiar with what a DO is than an MD, DC, DDS, OD, DPM, and DPT and (2) less familiar with OMT than HM, PT, and CT. Participants stated, when compared with an MD, DC, DDS, OD, DPM, and DPT, a DO is most similar to an MD. This lack of familiarity coupled with the high percentage of respondents who chose “unsure” demonstrates an osteopathic knowledge deficit. Better education must be implemented to increase patient knowledge of DOs and OMT.