Piers Truter

Senior Lecturer
PhD, M.Clin Phty, GCUT, B. Phty (Hons and University Medal), B, Arts (Comms)

Email: piers.truter@nd.edu.au

  • Biography

    Piers is a physiotherapist clinical research academic. Clinically he works in advanced practice roles in Orthopaedics and the Emergency Department at Fiona Stanley and Rockingham General Hospitals. As a physiotherapist, Piers has experience working in Private Practice, various hospital in-patient settings, Indigenous clinical settings, TeleHealth, Emergency Department, Aged Care and with Sports Teams.

    He has worked as an Advanced Scope Physiotherapist in the Emergency Department setting since 2014, at Fiona Stanley, SJOG Midland (Clinical Lead), Gold Coast University and Rockingham General Hospitals. Piers is an active researcher (ORCID 0000-0002-2322-7692) and health service innovator who developed and launched a physiotherapy led ‘Virtual Fracture Clinic’ (orthopaedic fracture care TeleHealth) at Fiona Stanley Hospital (2020) and the Rockingham Hospital ED Musculoskeletal diversion pathway (2022).

    In 2023, Piers was awarded a FHRI Research and Innovation Fellowship to support developing the ED Diversion pathway program. In 2025 he was awarded a Raine Clinician Research Fellowship to investigate virtual care for stable self-limiting fractures in South Metropolitan Health Service hospitals

  • Teaching areas

    • Research & Evidence-Based Physiotherapy
    • Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy

  • Research expertise and supervision

    • Piers was awarded a Raine Clinician Research Fellowship in 2025 to investigate the implementation of a Dutch virtual fracture care program in SMHS hospitals. Piers was awarded a Future Health Research and Innovation Fellowship by the WA Department of Health in 2023 to investigate diverting patients from the emergency department to see physiotherapists in an outpatient setting.
    • Piers has supervised a number of honours and masters students to completion at the University of Notre Dame Australia and Curtin University. These include:
    • Identifying acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the Emergency Department using ICD-10 Codes: A retrospective audit at Fiona Stanley Hospital, Olivia Denholm-Hall, Honours Student, Bachelor of Physiotherapy at Curtin University of Technology 2025
    • How are acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease managed in Australia: do we adhere to guidelines? Georgina Vesteeg, Honours Student, Bachelor of Physiotherapy at Curtin University of Technology 2025
    • Predictors of Inpatient Admission versus Discharge Among Patients Presenting to Fiona Stanley Hospital with an Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Retrospective Review of Clinical Records, Joan Kirimi, Honours Student, Bachelor of Physiotherapy at Curtin University of Technology 2025
    • Characteristics of COPD Patients Associated with a Referral to Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Timothy Hyde, Honours Student, Bachelor of Physiotherapy at Curtin University of Technology 2025
    • Providing Supportive Physiotherapy Options Beyond the Emergency Department for Patients with Musculoskeletal Conditions. A Cross-sectional Exploration of Patient Re-presentation. Patricia Slapp, Honours Student, Bachelor of Physiotherapy at Curtin University of Technology 2024
    • Diversion of Paediatric patients with musculoskeletal injuries from the emergency department. Anthony Johnstone, Honours Student, Bachelor of Physiotherapy at Curtin University of Technology 2023
    • Managing non-traumatic musculoskeletal conditions presenting to emergency departments: Do patient profiles vary between a physiotherapy-led 'Diversion' pathway and routine care? Jessica Lai, Mathew McLaughlin, Reuben Holt, Sarah King, Masters Students, Master of Clinical Physiotherapy, Curtin University of Technology 2022
    • Attitudes and beliefs to low back pain from Emergency Department Clinicians. Lydia Attwooll, Honours Student, Bachelor of Physiotherapy at University of Notre Dame Australia 2022
    • The affect of early ambulation on lower limb functional outcomes in adult burns patients. Claudia Tatlow, Masters Student, Masters of Burns and Trauma Rehabilitation at University of Notre Dame Australia 2021
    • Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department musculoskeletal presentations. Madison Davies, Honours Student, Bachelor of Physiotherapy at Curtin University of Technology 2021
    • Emergency Department management of constipation – a patient’s perspective. Emily Smith, Honours Student, Bachelor of Physiotherapy at University of Notre Dame Australia 2021
    • “I’m not in GP pain, I’m in hospital pain”. Decision making factors to present to the emergency department with non-specific low back pain. Annabel Saggers. Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours); The University of Notre Dame Australia 2019

  • Journals articles and proceedings

    • Response to: Emergency Department Observation for Back Pain: Patient Characteristics and Factors Associated with Hospital Admission or 90-day Return Visit. Orlando, J. F., Flanagan, P., Griffith, R., Beard, M., Truter, P., & Bagg, M. K. 2025. Journal of Emergency Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2025.10.027
    • Patients and hospital staff perceive diverting patients from the emergency department to physiotherapy outpatients as safe and effective: a qualitative descriptive study. Truter, P., Gaspar, J., Bongiascia, L., Finucane, E., Parkin, T., Melville, M., Ng, L., Starcevich, C., Cavalheri, V., & Bulsara, C. 2025. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2025.2559905
    • Early ambulation following lower limb burn and surgery is associated with improved long-term functional outcome and reduced hospital length of stay: A longitudinal cohort study. Tatlow, C. J., Hince, D. A., Evans, C. K., Truter, P., Pienaar, P. C., Wood, F. M., Bulsara, M., Berghuber, A., Gittings, P. M., & Edgar, D. W. 2025. Burns, 107474. DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2025.107474
    • Rate, Mode, Reasons and Factors Associated With Re-Presentation in People Diagnosed With Musculoskeletal Conditions at a Single Emergency Department: A Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study. Slapp, P., Spencer, L., Waller, R., Richards, K., Smith, A., Saraceni, N., & Truter, P. 2025. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 37(5), e70128. DOI: 10.1111/1742-6723.70128
    • Managing non-traumatic musculoskeletal conditions presenting to emergency departments: Do patient profiles vary between a physiotherapy-led 'Diversion' pathway and routine care? R. Waller, M. McLaughlin, S. King, J. Lai, R. Holt, P. Flangan, et al. Australasian Emergency Care 2024 Vol. Accepted Aug 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.auec.2024.08.001
    • Is clinician reported practice in Western Australian emergency departments aligned with direct discharge pathway protocols for minor self-limiting fractures? A multi-centre professional survey P. Truter, I. Pelletier, S. Coates, L. Giglia-Smith, K. Richards, D. Mountain, et al. Emergency Medicine Australasia 2024 Vol. 36 Pages 920-928 DOI: 10.1111/1742-6723.14474
    • Response to: Posterior Tibial Nerve Block for the Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis in the Emergency Department P. Truter, D. Gabb, T. Kapakoulakis, W. Gerryts and B. Green The Journal of Emergency Medicine 2024 Vol. 66 Issue 2 Pages 266-267 DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2023.10.035
    • Short waits, happy patients and expert care, moving basic musculoskeletal care from the emergency department to a physiotherapist-led diversion pathway P. Truter, P. Flanagan, R. Waller, K. Richards, M. Makate, A. Johnstone, et al. Emergency Medicine Australasia 2024 Vol. 36 Issue 5 Pages 695-702 DOI:10.1111/1742-6723.14416
    • 'I just need to find out if I had broken something or not.' A qualitative descriptive study into patient decisions to present to an Emergency Department with a simple fracture P. Truter, D. Edgar, D. Mountain, A. Saggers and C. Bulsara International Emergency Nursing 2024 Vol. 73 Pages 101420 DOI: 10.1016/j.ienj.2024.101420
    • Interventions to improve the quality of low back pain care in emergency departments: a systematic review and meta-analysis P. Flanagan, R. Waller, I. Lin, K. Richards, P. Truter, G. C. Machado and V. Cavalheri Intern Emerg Med 2024 Vol. 19 Issue 7 Pages 2057-2076 DOI: 10.1007/s11739-024-03736-y
    • Early ambulation impacts on quality-of-life outcomes positively after lower limb burn injury: A group trajectory analysis C. K. Evans, D. A. Hince, C. J. Tatlow, P. C. Pienaar, P. Truter, F. M. Wood, et al. Burns 2024 Vol. 50 Issue 4 Pages 829–840 DOI:10.1016/j.burns.2024.02.018
    • Care Should be Taken to Ensure Qualitative Process Evaluations Conducted Alongside Clinical Trials do not Complicate the Interpretation of the Original Trial M. K. Bagg, D. A. Hince, M. J. Travers, P. Truter, G. M. Orange and B. M. Wand The Journal of Pain 2024 Vol. 25 Issue 5 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.11.024
    • Response to “Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Guidance of Closed Reduction of Fifth Metacarpal Neck (Boxer's) Fracture”. Truter, P., Lawson-Smith, M., & Edgar, D. (2023).  J Emerg Med, 65(5), e473-e474. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2023.07.011
    • Comparing multi-disciplinary low back pain care in the ED to the Australian clinical care standard: The possible influence of profession, experience and back pain beliefs. Truter, P., Attwooll, L., Flanagan, P., McGinty, C., Taylor, R., Hince, D., & Wand, B. M. (2023). Int Emerg Nurs, 71, 101351. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2023.101351
    • Adult patients with constipation presenting to the emergency department: Can care be improved? Bunting, C., Smith, E., Dunham, F., Simpson, S., & Truter, P. Emergency Medicine Australasia, Vol. 35 Issue 6 Pages 991-997 DOI:10.1111/1742-6723.14278
    • ‘I'm not in GP pain, I'm in hospital pain’: Qualitative study regarding patient decision-making factors in seeking care in the emergency department with non-specific low back pain. Saggers, A., Wand, B. M., Bulsara, C., & Truter, P. Emergency Medicine Australasia, Emergency Medicine Australasia, 33, 1013-1020, DOI:10.1111/1742-6723.13792
    • Response to: Two telemedicine consultants miss foot drop: when to see patients in person. Richardson, B., Truter, P., & Russell, T. (2021). Surg Neurol Int(12:26). DOI:10.25259/SNI_911_2020
    • Virtual Fracture Clinic pilot in an orthopaedic tertiary hospital setting: patient characteristics, clinical contact metrics and operational challenges. Truter P, Shales S, Evans R, Giglia-Smith L, O'Hanlon S, Yates PJ. Tasman Medical Journal. 2021;3(1):30-6.
    • An emergency department optimized protocol for qualitative research to investigate care seeking by patients with non-urgent conditions. Truter P, Edgar D, Mountain D, Bulsara C. (2021) Nursing Open, 8(2), 628-635. DOI: 10.1002/nop2.667
    • Physiotherapy assessment and diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders of the knee via telerehabilitation. Richardson, B. R., Truter, P., Blumke, R., & Russell, T. G. (2016). Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. DOI:10.1177/1357633x15627237
    • The Validity of Physical Therapy Assessment of Low Back Pain via Telerehabilitation in a Clinical Setting. Truter, P., Russell, T., & Fary, R. (2013). Telemedicine Journal and eHealth, DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2013.0088
    • The Diagnostic Accuracy of Telerehabilitation for Nonarticular Lower-Limb Musculoskeletal Disorders. Trevor Russell, Piers Truter, Robert Blumke, Bradley Richardson. Telemedicine and e-Health, June 2010, 16(5): 585-594. DOI:10.1089/tmj.2009.0163.
    • Telerehabilitation mediated physiotherapy assessment of ankle disorders. Trevor G. Russell, Robert Blumke, Bradley Richardson, Piers Truter. Physiotherapy Research International, September 2010 15(3): 167-175, DOI: 10.1002/pri.471

  • Conference papers

    Conference engagement

    • Piers was a member of the scientific committee for the 2025 Australian Physiotherapy Association conference.

    Conference workshops

    • Redefining roles: The Impact of Advanced Practice in Australian Healthcare, Piers Truter, Felicity Martin, Tracy Sheldrick, Laura Jeffs, National Allied Health Conference, Adelaide, Australia, 11-14 August 2025
    • Demonstrating the value and impact of allied health through health services research, Saravana Kumar, Piers Truter, Vinicius Cavalheri, National Allied Health Conference, Adelaide, Australia, 11-14 August 2025

    Conference presentations

    • Diverting from ED to a physiotherapist? What’s next!, Piers Truter, Nic Saraceni, Linda Spencer, Cobie Starcevich, Pippa Flanagan, Australian Physiotherapy Association Conference 2025, Adelaide, Australia, 23-25 October 2025
    • Defining the scope and impact of practice primary contact physiotherapists in a tertiary emergency department, Piers Truter, Louise Giglia-Smith, Luke Bongiascia, Andrew Moffat, James Wrightson, Susan Brooker, Paul Atkinson, Pippa Flanagan, Australian Physiotherapy Association Conference 2025, Adelaide, Australia, 23-25 October 2025
    • Diverting patients from the ED to outpatients: Performance metrics and economic modelling of an advanced practice model of urgent care Piers Truter, Jane Gaspar, Melissa Woodall, Julie Walker, Emma Davies, Vinicius Cavalheri, Caroline Bulsara National Allied Health Conference, Adelaide, Australia, 11-14 August 2025
    • Diverting patients from the ED to outpatients: Exploring the research evidence and consumer perspective on an advanced practice model of care Piers Truter Global Advanced Practice Summit, Online conference, 13 May 2025
    • GAPS Roundtable - Leading the Change: Governance, Regulation & Impact in Advanced Practice Piers Truter (Panellist), Jo Morris, Felicity Martin, Laura Jeffs Global Advanced Practice Summit, Online conference, 13 May 2025
    • Moving urgent care from the emergency department to a physiotherapy clinic Piers Truter, Pippa Flanagan, Luke Bongiascia, Rob Waller
    • Australian Physiotherapy Association FOCUS24 The business of physiotherapy conference, Perth, Australia, 31 October - 2 November 2024
    • Diverting patients from ED to Outpatients Piers Truter (Invited Speaker) 2024 WA Health Innovation Showcase, Murdoch, Australia, 8 October 2024
    • Enabling Health Service innovation: How to recognise, grow and fund innovative models of care Beatrice Mendoza, Piers Truter, Lynton Norris Health Finance Managers Association National Conference, Sydney, Australia, 24 September 2024
    • Innovation evaluation of Western Australia’s first Emergency Department Musculoskeletal Diversion Pathway Caroline Bulsara, Jane Gaspar, Cobie Starcevich, Mathew Melville, Ethan Coleman, Hermione Gray, Daniel Gabb, Eithne Finucane, Tanya Parkin, Danielle Beauchamp, Landy Ng, Luke Bongiascia, Vinicius Cavalheri, Piers Truter Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science Transformative Research Symposium 2024, Fremantle, Australia, 3-4 September 2024
    • Achieving full scope of practice: Emergency Department patients diverted to physiotherapy outpatients Piers Truter, Pippa Flanagan, Luke Bongiascia, Rob Waller, Karen Richards, Katrina Spilsbury, Ivan Lin, Vinicius Cavalheri International Federation of Manual and Musculoskeletal Physical Therapists Conference, Congress Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland, 4-6 July 2024
    • Diverting MSK patients from the ED to outpatients Piers Truter, Health Round Table, Allied Health Innovation Session, Webinar, September 2 2023
    • A novel model of advanced scope physiotherapy practice: Diverting patients from the ED directly to an outpatient clinic Piers Truter, Pippa Flanagan, Luke Bongiascia National Allied Health Conference, Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, Perth, Australia, 8-9 August 2023
    • The art of balancing basics and innovation in the healthcare environment to ensure patient safety, Panel discussion, Tony Dolan, Audrey Koay, Dominic Mallon, David Raw, Anne Watts, Piers Truter, Fiona Stanley IMPROVE Conference 2023, Perth Australia, March 23 2023.
    • Optimising simple fracture care to unburden Tertiary Hospital Emergency Department and Orthopaedic services Piers Truter SMHS Research Showcase, Grand Round, 9 November 2022
    • Virtual (Muculoskeletal &) Fracture Clinic for Orthopaedics and the Emergency Department Piers Truter, Hazel Hudson, Pippa Flanagan Australian College of Health Service Management Congress, Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, Perth, Australia, 22 September 2022
    • Virtual Fracture Clinic: Excellence in telehealth orthopaedics for city and country? Piers Truter, Louise Giglia-Smith, Pippa Flanagan National Rural Health Conference, Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre, Brisbane, Australia, 2 August 2022
    • Where does TeleHealth fit in the management of uncomplicated hand injuries? Piers Truter, Tristan Wuu, Sandeep Bhogesha Invited speaker – Australian Hand Therapists Association National Conference, Parmelia Hilton Hotel, Perth Australia, 29 August 2021
    • I punched a wall and I can’t miss work: TeleHealth management of boxer’s fractures is safe, cost-effective and good for patients Piers Truter, Tristan Wuu, Sandeep Bhogesha National Allied Health Conference, Online due to COVID restrictions,  11 August 2021
    • Physiotherapist lead TeleHealth fracture care: Understanding an Australian model for the Virtual Fracture Clinic Piers Truter, Louise Giglia-Smith, Simon Rosser, Pippa Flanagan National Allied Health Conference, Online due to COVID restrictions,  11 August 2021
    • Patient centred fracture care: moving to a zero-appointment model of virtual care Piers Truter  Health Round Table, Allied Health Improvement Group 2020, Webinar, 16 September 2020
    • Management of acute low back pain in the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Western Australia. Piers Truter, Pippa Flanagan & Ashley Smith. Queensland Emergency Department Physiotherapy Network Biennial conference 2018, Gold Coast University Hospital, November 9 2018.
    • The validity of assessment of low back pain via telerehabilitation in a clinical setting Piers Truter, Trevor Russell, Robyn Fary. Australian Physiotherapy Association Conference 2013, Melbourne Australia, Oct 17-20 2013.

  • Professional affiliation

    • Australian Physiotherapy Association
    • Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Australia
    • APA Emergency Department professional network
    • Certified Associate, Blackboard Learning Management Systems

  • Community engagement

    • Urgent care for injuries: Consumer perspective from Rockingham community conversation – June 2024 P. Truter, J. Walker, J. Balfe, B. Philipps, G. Hoyne, W. Gibson, et al. Institution: South Metropolitan Health Service 2024 Murdoch, Perth, WA: South Metropolitan Health Service

  • Awards

    • 2025 – Best Innovation / Early Career Abstract Award – National Allied Health Conference
    • 2024 – WA Health Excellence Award for Patient Centred Care (ED Diversion Pathway)
    • 2024 – WA Health Allied Health Award finalist for team of the year (ED Diversion Pathway
    • 2023 – Institute of Public Administrators of Australia – Silver winner for Innovation (ED Diversion Pathway)
    • 2023 – South Metropolitan Health Service Southern Star Award for Excellence (ED Diversion Pathway)
    • 2023 – South Metropolitan Health Service Excellence Award for Innovation (ED Diversion Pathway)