Flagging patient safety in massage therapy

It is estimated that approximately 34% of clients will consult massage and other natural medicine practitioners for treatment of a condition that has not been previously assessed by a medical practitioner. Consequently all natural medicine practitioners have a responsibility to be able to determine whether their client is a suitable candidate for their treatment or whether they need to be seen by a medical or other health practitioner first. Taking a comprehensive case history from a client is usually the first step in massage therapy consultations and the best way to understand the reason for their client's visit. A system of coloured flags has been developed over the past two decades to help practitioners identify cues in the information gathered from clients that may indicate referral or other guidance for safe and effective treatment.