Hospital based massage therapy: A call for competencies

Publication date: Available online 6 April 2017
Source:Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies
Author(s): M.K. Brennan, Dale Healey, Beth Rosenthal, Carolyn Tague
An increasing percentage of hospitals are offering massage therapy to their patients. The ACIH Hospital Based Massage Therapy (HBMT) Task force was formed to explore the need for standard competencies for massage therapy in hospital environments. A survey was designed and distributed to a convenience sample of hospitals that have massage therapy programs. Thirty-two out of 37 hospitals completed the survey, resulting in an 87% response rate. With recognition of a small convenience sample, we believe the high response rate and the extent to which respondents provided in-depth information to the open-ended questions indicates interest in HMBT competencies. The responses to the survey questions suggests a need for competencies to support safe and effective HBMT services for patients For example, of the 26 respondents that have a job description for the massage therapists in their HBMT programs, only 66% indicated that competencies are included in the job description. Additionally, survey respondents indicated several critical topic areas for which standard competencies do not exist including: experience/knowledge of hospital environment logistics, communications with hospital staff, hospital; culture, and safety issues related to environment such as understanding medical devices and equipment as well as; infection control. Next steps will be to work with educators and practitioners in the HBMT field to augment the ACIH Competencies for Optimal Practice in Integrated Environments with specific competencies for HBMT.



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