Drafting Physiotherapy Referral Letters

The problem

A physiotherapy referral letter that simply says "for rehabilitation post total knee replacement" is not useful. The physiotherapist needs to know: what was done, what weight-bearing is allowed, what range of motion is the target at each milestone, what to avoid, and what to report back to you. Without this information, the physiotherapist is working without the clinical context that would allow them to tailor the programme.

Poorly written referrals produce physiotherapy that is either too conservative or too aggressive, generates unnecessary queries back to you, or fails to achieve the clinical goals you had in mind. A clear referral letter is part of good surgical care.

How AI helps

An AI tool can take a bullet-point clinical summary and produce a structured physiotherapy referral letter that gives the treating therapist everything they need. You provide the clinical content — the procedure, the specific instructions, the goals, and the red flags. The tool produces a professional, clear letter.

This approach is particularly useful for procedures with specific rehabilitation protocols — ACL reconstruction, rotator cuff repair, total knee replacement, spinal decompression — where the referral needs to communicate the protocol accurately without you rewriting it from scratch every time.

A real example

Dr Priya is an orthopaedic consultant. She has just performed an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair on a 48-year-old man — a full-thickness supraspinatus tear, single anchor fixation. The rehabilitation protocol for this procedure in her unit involves specific phases: a protective phase for six weeks with sling immobilisation, followed by passive range-of-motion work, then active strengthening. The standard generic referral form does not capture this level of detail.

She opens an AI tool and types:

Draft a physiotherapy referral letter for the following patient and procedure.

Procedure: arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (right shoulder) — 
full-thickness supraspinatus tear, single anchor fixation.
Patient: man, age 48, right-hand dominant, manual worker.

Physiotherapy protocol:
Phase 1 (weeks 0–6): sling immobilisation, pendulum exercises only, 
no active shoulder movement, no lifting.
Phase 2 (weeks 6–12): passive range of motion, progressive to active 
assisted — target 90 degrees elevation by week 10.
Phase 3 (weeks 12 onwards): active strengthening — begin with 
scapular stabilisers, gradual rotator cuff strengthening.

Goals: full range of motion by 4 months, return to light manual work 
at 4 months, full manual work at 6 months.

Red flags to report back: excessive pain with passive movement, 
failure to achieve expected ROM milestones, suspected re-tear.

Format: professional referral letter. Tone: clear and precise — 
the physiotherapist needs to be able to follow this protocol accurately.

The tool produces a structured letter. Dr Priya reads it. She adjusts the Phase 2 elevation target — the tool transcribed 90 degrees correctly, but she wants to add "as tolerated" to make clear this is a guide, not a rigid requirement. She adds her direct contact number for the physiotherapist. The letter is ready in seven minutes.

Try it yourself

Things to watch for

Rehabilitation protocols are yours to specify. The tool cannot know your unit's current protocol for any procedure. If you do not specify the phases and goals, the tool will produce a generic rehabilitation framework that may not match what you intend. Be specific in your prompt.

Occupation matters. A manual worker, a desk worker, a professional athlete, and a sedentary retired person have different rehabilitation goals and timelines. Include occupation in your prompt — it helps the tool frame the goals in the right context.

The physiotherapist may need direct contact. If your protocol has specific points where you want the physiotherapist to contact you before progressing — for example, before commencing active strengthening after rotator cuff repair — make sure this is stated explicitly in the letter. The tool will include it if you specify it in the prompt.

Red flags are safety-critical. The section on symptoms to report back is important for patient safety and for the clinical relationship between you and the treating therapist. Read it carefully and ensure it accurately reflects the warning signs that should prompt a call to your rooms.

Remember: AI is a helpful assistant, not a clinician. You make the call.