massage

therapy and
primary care

Cost-Effective Care

While massage therapy may incur initial costs, it can potentially lead to cost savings by reducing the need for medications, surgeries, or more intensive interventions for certain conditions. 

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Improved Patient Outcomes

Integrating massage therapy into primary care can lead to improved patient outcomes, for conditions involving muscle tension, mobility issues, or rehabilitation needs. RMTs can help patients manage stress and anxiety, promoting overall mental health.

What is the Role Massage Therapy Can Play in Primary Care?

(Kania-Richmond et al., 2015)

  • Healthcare provider team member: responsibilities involve recording patient care with the shared patient record, accessing comprehensive patient information, actively engaging in and contributing to team meetings, and receiving referrals from fellow clinicians.
  • Program/clinic support: Innovation and supporting programs to match patient needs.
  • Educator: Both in the context of patient care and developing awareness among other health professionals of the massage therapy profession.
  • Research and self-reflective practices: Evaluate treatment and examine specific outcomes of the massage therapy profession.

• Improved Health Outcomes when Massage Therapy is Included in Primary Care Teams.

• what we do

Responsibilities of Massage Therapists


Evaluate patients, deliver massage-specific treatments, formulate treatment plans, and communicate findings through both formal and informal methods. Additionally, massage therapists are expected to hold a proficient understanding of the patients' conditions and associated signs and symptoms, as well as a broader awareness of the unique needs relevant to that specific patient population (Kania-Richmond et al., 2015). RMTs provide person centered care and meaningfully engage patients in decision-making for their Massage Therapy care that centres the client’s unique needs, views, preferences and concerns and health goals. 

Inclusion in Hospitals & Community Health Centres


In Canada, hospital-based massage therapy is not a new concept however hospital-affiliated massage therapists are often independent contractors (Guzman, 2015). And while some hospitals have on-site massage therapists, they are frequently volunteers (Guzman,2015). The dependable integration of massage services by registered/licensed therapists is still limited despite positive evidence-based contribution massage therapists in Canadian hospitals can make to healthcare outcomes (Kania-Richmond et al., 2015).

Community Health Centres (CHCs) distinguish themselves by combining medical services with health promotion and community programs under one roof. When recognized as an available treatment Massage therapy can be considered to be part of the “Illness Prevention Service Area within CHCs. With the increasing use of complementary and alternative healthcare (CAHC) in Canada, the public's willingness to explore CAHC, including massage therapy, alongside conventional healthcare, may exert pressure to incorporate it into primary care teams.

Collaboration and the Circle of Care


RMTs

  • Comply with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA).
  • Can be health information custodians (HIC) and assume an individual's implied consent to collect, use or disclose personal health information for the purpose of providing healthcare or assisting in providing healthcare.
  • At the client's request, securely transfer copies of the client's health records to another healthcare professional.