Introduction: Studies in developed European countries show that direct access to physiotherapy can provide adequate clinically and financially effective care. Despite the European experience and the positive attitudes of most stakeholders in health care, no research has yet been conducted among the population of our country to examine patients' attitudes about physiotherapists and different models of access to physiotherapy. Aim: The aim of this pilot study was to examine patients' attitudes about physiotherapists, selfreferral and direct access to physiotherapy, and in the alternative to examine the relationship between attitudes and patient characteristics. Methods and participants: The study involved 125 participants, patients admitted to outpatient physiotherapy. At the end of the physiotherapy cycle, sociodemographic data, medical data related to the location of musculoskeletal disorders and the number of physiotherapy cycles performed so far, and paramedical data related to the current employment status were collected. The examination of attitudes about physiotherapists, self-referral and direct access to physiotherapy was conducted through a questionnaire created for the purposes of this research. Results: The attitudes of the respondents show that physiotherapists possess and practice the necessary competencies in the health care of musculoskeletal disorders and diseases, and that they are insufficiently represented in health care. The results suggest that patient-centered physiotherapy is an effective and well-accepted health care service, and that self-referral to physiotherapy has potential socioeconomic implications for the individual and the health care system. The results indicate (p <0.05) that attitudes do not differ in relation to gender and location of musculoskeletal disorders, but that with increasing age, a positive attitude towards the effectiveness of physiotherapy and professional autonomy of physiotherapists decreases. Highly educated people evaluate the start of physiotherapy more positively, respondents with more previous cycles of physiotherapy are more likely to consult only physiotherapists, and those wornikg active think that physiotherapists do not know how to act when the problem and health condition exceeds their competencies and scope of work. Conclusion: Based on the results, it is concluded that physiotherapists, as the primary health contact for patients with musculoskeletal disorders, could contribute to the current challenges facing the public health sector in the health care system.