Background

To evaluate the effects on healthcare quality following implementation of a program to improve care for individuals with headache in two physical therapy clinics and its association with outcomes and self-perceived improvement.

Methods

We assessed healthcare quality by creating a questionnaire on fulfilment of fifteen quality criteria included in the clinical history of individuals suffering from tension-type, cervicogenic or migraine headaches seeking physical therapy between 2010 and 2014. In 2015, after applying a program to improve care in one center (C1), we reassessed the same fulfilment questionnaire in both centers, using the other center (C2) as control.

Results

In the first evaluation there was a huge number of cases of non-compliance of all the criteria in both centers. After implementation of the care improvement program in C1 a significant improvement was observed in some items, as use of a headache diary, which rose from 0 to 100%, or use of the HIT-6 disability questionnaire, which rose from 30 to 100%. In addition, there was a significant improvement in self-perceived health status after implementation of the care program in C1.

Conclusions

The implementation of a care improvement program was effective in improving healthcare quality for individuals with headache attending physical therapy services.