Contact Details
- Phone
- +64 3 479 7460
- miranda.buhler@otago.ac.nz
University Links
- Position
- Research Fellow, Lecturer
- Qualifications
- BPhty MPhty(Distinction) PhD
- Research summary
- Musculoskeletal conditions, hand and upper limb, allied health workforce, health care access
- Teaching
- Clinical teaching, mentoring, and supervision for hand therapy clinical practice and accreditation pathway Honours, Master's and PhD supervision
- Undergraduate: PHTY 354 Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Science, PHTY 355 Physiotherapy Clinical Practice, PHTY 459 Research for Physiotherapy
- Postgraduate: PHTY 543 Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapy, PHTY 535 Advanced Physiotherapy Management
- Memberships
- Hand Therapy New Zealand – Education Committee (Chair 2019–2024)
- Physiotherapy New Zealand
- Health NZ National Research Advisory Committee
- Health NZ Southern Allied Health, Scientific & Technical Research Network
- Tae Ora Tinana (Kaitiaki 2019–2024)
- Health Services Research Association Australian New Zealand (HSRAANZ)
- Public Health Association of New Zealand
- Araiteuru Marae Council (Secretary 2019–2024)
- Clinical
- Miranda is a Physiotherapy Expert Clinician (hand and musculoskeletal conditions) at Dunedin Hospital and supports clinicians and clinical service delivery across the Southern District.
Research
Dr Miranda Buhler is a Registered Physiotherapist and Accredited Hand Therapist, and a Research Fellow at the University of Otago Faculty of Health Professional Programmes, and at Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand.
In the health services field, her research examines how allied health workforce can be better situated to equitably meet population health needs particularly for Māori, Pacific, and low socioeconomic populations. Her mixed methods approach includes geospatial analysis, 'big' hospital administration data analysis, community-based research and qualitative and implementation science methods. She recently led a team evaluating the appropriateness and effectiveness of the Health NZ allied health staffing methodology.
Appropriateness and effectiveness of the Health NZ allied health staffing methodology
Her clinical research interests lie in improving outcomes of care for people with musculoskeletal conditions focusing on the hand and upper limb. This work has contributed to international clinical guidelines for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis, a co-designed pathway of care for carpal tunnel syndrome, and innovative rehabilitation techniques following digital tendon repair.
Additional details
Named investigator on large grants:
- Allied Health CCDM Evaluation (Ministry of Health)
- Understanding Occupational Health and Hazard Exposures in Rural Pacific Meatworkers (HRC)
- Empowering Pathways to Health for Pacific Meatworkers (HRC)
- Carpal Tunnel Pathway Co-design Evaluation (Healthcare Otago Trust)
- Spatial mapping of physiotherapy workforce distribution: Towards delivering health equity (University of Otago Division of Health Sciences)
- Developing a Pathway of Care for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (HRC)
- Management of thumb osteoarthritis feasibility study (Otago Medical Research Foundation Jack Thomson Award)
- Extensor Tendon Randomised Controlled Trial (Healthcare Otago Trust)
Grant reviewer:
- Health Research Council of New Zealand
- Health Research South (Dunedin School of Medicine and Health NZ Southern)
- Hand Therapy New Zealand Scholarship Trust Fund
Editorial Boards:
- Editorial Board Physical Therapy Reviews
- Editorial Board, Hand Therapy journal (Br)
Appointments:
- Physiotherapy New Zealand Physiotherapy Outcomes Pilot Academic Advisory Group Member (2023–2025)
- Health Research South Board Allied Health Representative (2022–2025)
- Southern SHB Telehealth Steering Group Clinician Co-lead (2020–2022)
- Southern DHB Clinical Practice Committee Member (2019–2022)
- New Dunedin Hospital Ambulatory Services Rebuild Allied Health Lead (2019–2021)
- Academic Committee, International Hand Surgeons (IFSSH) and Hand Therapists (IFSHT) Congress (2016 and 2019)
Research sites:
Publications
Toovey, R., Linton, J., Lin, I., Bolton, J., Buhler, M., Bunzli, S., Darlow, B., Devan, H., … Conley, B. (2026). Moving forward together. Part 5: Championing physical therapy allyship and advocacy for Indigenous peoples with musculoskeletal pain. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 56(6), 324-330. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2026.13858 Journal - Research Other
Bühler, M., Chapple, C., Stebbings, S., & Baxter, G. D. (2026). High dose soft orthosis for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis in addition to best practice usual care: A feasibility randomised controlled trial. Hand Therapy. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/17589983261444954 Journal - Research Article
Watson, G., Buhler, M., Tofi, V. M., Gauld, R., & Perry, M. A. (2026). Workforce profile and turnover intentions of Health New Zealand physiotherapists in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy, 54(1), 19-35. doi: 10.15619/nzjp.v54i1.513496 Journal - Research Article
Buhler, M., Shah, T., Perry, M., Tennant, M., Kruger, E., & Milosavljevic, S. (2025). Spatial equity of physiotherapy accessibility in Aotearoa New Zealand in relation to Māori and Pacific ethnicity, socioeconomic deprivation, and rurality. Health Policy. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2025.105498 Journal - Research Article
Buhler, M. (2025, October-November). Managing hand osteoarthritis: Knowledge is power. Verbal presentation at the Southern Physiotherapy Symposium (SPS11), Dunedin, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs