DIGITAL PRACTICE: BALANCING THE BENEFITS OF ACCESS WITH THE NEED FOR HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS
Digital technologies continue to garner attention and interest within physiotherapy. Whether this be growth of telehealth since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, or the growing ubiquity of smartphones and other wireless devices and applications. Novel technologies offer physiotherapists and our patients alike opportunities to connect in ways not previously imagined. Select examples of digital practice may include (but are not limited to): remote delivery of a physiotherapy consultation via video, clinical use of connected devices to quantify objective measures, and patient-generated health data collected by patients themselves through wearables, and smartphones. Further, artificial intelligence is an emergent area of interest to the physiotherapy community, as advances in computing offer potential to do more with data, support workflows, and aid in clinical decision-making.
However, whilst the potential for digital technology to support the profession and our patients is encouraging, much is still unclear, unknown, and the evidence-base for digital practice is still maturing. This topical session will explore the digital practice across various areas of physiotherapy and share experiences from international clinicians who have experience in this space. The question remains, ‘how to we balance the benefits of technology access with the need for human relationships?’ How do we keep the patient at the center? How do we maintain our pivotal role as partners in care?
- Explore and discuss the emerging domain of digital practice and introduce select examples of digital technology use in physiotherapy practice
- Discuss digital practice through a lens of barriers and facilitators to patient-centered care
- Critically reflect on global issues of access and health equality that are impacted by technology
