This study explored the value of Clinical Prediction Rule (CPR) utilization in physical therapy practice, the impact of physical therapist's (PTs) practice specialty, location, age, clinical experience and faculty status on CPR utilization, and investigated when and where in the physical therapy curricula, physical therapy students learn about CPRs.

The questionnaire for the survey was pilot tested among a small sample from the study population. Changes were made in the questionnaire based on the results of the pilot testing. The final questionnaire for the survey, housed in the REDCap survey tool, was sent to 1001 PTs from the northeastern United States region as well as from India who were active in clinical practice, involved in research, enrolled in higher education programs and/or teaching. Descriptive statistics for each question were used to summarize the responses. Cross-tabulations using Chi square analysis were calculated on these data.

Results suggested that PTs (35.06% agree; 25.86% strongly agree) value the use of CPRs in physical therapy practice. Factors like practice location, clinician's age, clinician's experience, faculty status, and practice speciality (orthopaedics) have an impact on CPR utilization. The majority of faculty and non-faculty PTs agreed CPRs should be taught in entry-level physical therapist educational programs.