How AI and Digital Triage Are Reducing Wait Times in Physiotherapy: An Evidence-Based Overview

Introduction

Long wait times for physiotherapy services have been a persistent challenge, impacting patient outcomes, operational efficiency, and healthcare costs. In private healthcare, Occupational Health (OH) services, and health-tech startups, reducing these delays is critical for business success and patient satisfaction.

AI-powered digital triage platforms, such as Flok Health, Nexa by Champion Health Plus and Phio by EQL.ai, are transforming how physiotherapy services are accessed, prioritised, and delivered. This article explores how these innovations are improving service pathways, with evidence-backed benefits for providers and patients alike.

Image of Phio courtesy of eql.ai

The Challenge: Wait Times and Physiotherapy Demand

The global demand for musculoskeletal (MSK) services is rising. In the UK alone, MSK conditions account for approximately 30% of GP consultations (NHS England, 2024). Yet across public and private settings, median wait times for physiotherapy often exceed 4–6 weeks, a gap that can lead to:

• Worsening patient outcomes

• Increased healthcare costs due to complications

• Loss of productivity for employers

• Poorer patient engagement with self-management strategies

  
  

A study published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (2022) showed that early intervention (<14 days) for MSK injuries significantly reduces chronicity and improves long-term functional outcomes.

The Rise of AI and Digital Triage in Healthcare

Digital triage platforms use algorithms, dynamic questionnaires, and clinical reasoning models to gather and analyse patient data before a clinician is involved.When powered by AI, these platforms can intelligently adjust questioning, flag red flags, assess clinical urgency, and direct patients to the most appropriate care pathway.

Platforms like Flok Health and Phio represent a new generation of AI-driven triage tools, combining robust clinical frameworks with intuitive user experiences.

Image courtesy of Flok Health

A review in JMIR Medical Informatics (2023) found that AI-based triage tools demonstrated 88–92% accuracy in appropriate care recommendations when benchmarked against human triage clinicians.

Key Benefits of AI and Digital Triage in Physiotherapy

Improved Access and Speed

Patients can engage with digital triage anytime, from home, on a smartphone or computer, without waiting for manual callbacks or form reviews.

Impact:

• Decreased time to first contact

• Immediate risk screening and pathway allocation

• Higher engagement rates, especially among working-age patients

  
  

Phio by EQL.ai, for instance, offers 24/7 digital MSK triage with no need for telephone interaction, dramatically reducing friction in the patient journey.

Smarter Prioritisation

Instead of a "first-come, first-served" approach, AI platforms assign clinical urgency scores based on symptom severity, functional limitations, and red flag identification.

Impact:

• Urgent or complex MSK cases are fast-tracked

• Mild or self-limiting conditions are supported with digital self-management advice

• Clinics optimise diary capacity based on real need

  
  

Flok Health's triage system, for example, categorises patients into urgency bands, enabling providers to allocate resources more strategically.

Research in The Lancet Digital Health (2024) demonstrated that AI triage systems reduced unnecessary physiotherapy appointments by 17%, allowing faster access for patients needing acute intervention.

Streamlined Clinical Workflows

With structured, clinically relevant data collected before the appointment, clinicians can focus their time on diagnosis and treatment rather than administrative intake tasks.

Impact:

• Shorter appointment durations

• More effective first-contact assessments

• Reduced clinician burnout and improved job satisfaction

  
  

An NHS Digital pilot study (2023) showed that physiotherapists saved an average of 7 minutes per appointment when pre-appointment digital triage was used.

Considerations for Implementation

Successful adoption of digital triage in physiotherapy requires:

• Clinical Validation: Triaging pathways should be regularly audited by physiotherapy clinical governance teams.

• Data Security: Systems must comply with GDPR, HIPAA, and NHS Data Security standards.

• Integration: Triage outputs should ideally integrate directly into electronic health records (EHRs) or practice management systems.

• Patient Transparency: Patients must be informed that AI is being used to support clinical decision-making, with clear escalation routes to human review when needed.

  
  

Leading the Future of Physiotherapy Access

For private healthcare providers, OH companies, and health-tech startups, AI and digital triage are not optional innovations, they are fast becoming the standard for high-quality, efficient service delivery and routing.

Platforms like those highlighted above demonstrate how intelligent triage improves access, prioritisation, clinical outcomes, and business performance.The organisations that embrace these solutions today will lead the next generation of musculoskeletal care delivery tomorrow.