Person-centred care in osteopathic practice in Australia: Results from a national health service use survey

Author Identifier (ORCID)

Brett Vaughan’s ORCID record ORCID Logo

Abstract

Objective: This study explored patient perceptions of person-centred care (PCC) in Australian osteopathic practice. Results: Data from a national health service survey were analysed. Of 2354 respondents, 143 (6.1%) consulted an osteopath in the preceding year. Of these, 87 (60.8%) completed the Patient-Centred Care Scale (PCCS). Across all PCC items, agreement ranged from 51% to 61%. Items with the most disagreement (strongly disagree/disagree) were related to feeling understood as an individual and the osteopath's interest in addressing health problems. Items with the highest levels of agreement (strongly agree/agree) were related to the osteopath using patient feedback to guide treatment and clarity regarding expectations during consultations. Conclusion: While many respondents reported positive experiences, a substantial neutral response and a notable proportion of negative experiences regarding certain PCC aspects highlight the need for further research. Future qualitative research should investigate reasons for neutral responses and explore challenges to PCC implementation in osteopathic practice.

Keywords

holistic healthcare, musculoskeletal health, osteopathy, patient experience, person-centred care, shared decision-making

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

9-1-2026

Article Number

100684

ISSN

22129588

Volume

13

Issue

3

Publication Title

Advances in Integrative Medicine

Publisher

Elsevier

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences

Copyright

subscription content

Content Type

Metadata only

Recommended Citation

Draper-Rodi, J., Vaughan, B., Fleischmann, M., & Sposato, N. S. (2026). Person-centred care in osteopathic practice in Australia: Results from a national health service use survey. Advances in Integrative Medicine, 13(3), Article 100684. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aimed.2026.100684

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.1016/j.aimed.2026.100684