Abstract
Summary
Musician Outpatient Clinic at the Helsinki Music Centre – 13 Years of Multidisciplinary Experience
Katarina Porander, Physiotherapist, Specialist in Musicians’ Physiotherapy, The Finnish Society for Performing Arts - katapo@saunalahti.fi
Miikka Peltomaa, MD, PhD, Specialist in Music Medicine, Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Adjunct Professor of Otolaryngology, University of Helsinki; Chief Physician, Pihlajalinna Sleep Clinic - miikka.peltomaa@gmail.com
Abstract
We present our 13-year experience from the Musician Outpatient Clinic operating since 2012 at the Helsinki Music Centre. The clinic was established to address the needs of severely ill or chronically incapacitated musicians whose conditions had not been resolved through prior clinical evaluations.
This outpatient service is distinctly multidisciplinary, integrating experienced physicians from various specialties with physiotherapists who specialize in musicians’ health. The clinic operates in collaboration with each musician’s occupational health services or personal physician. While the majority of patients are professional musicians affiliated with orchestras in the Helsinki metropolitan area or the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, the clinic is open to all musicians in need of specialized care.
In addition to clinical service, the Musician Outpatient Clinic functions as a training site for physicians and physiotherapists specializing in performing arts medicine, contributing to the development of music medicine as a recognized field.
Keywords: performing arts medicine, musicians’ health, multidisciplinary clinic, physiotherapy, occupational medicine
Category: Clinic report – Preferred presentation format: Oral
Presenting authors: Katarina Porander, Physiotherapist, The Finnish Society for Performing Arts
Miikka Peltomaa, MD, PhD, The Finnish Society for Performing Arts