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F. Saaei1, S.G. Klappa1
1University of North Georgia, Physical Therapy, Dahlonega, United States
Background: Dramatic increase in utilizing telerehabilitation has occurred in the face of COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the large number of telerehabilitation platforms for physical therapists, we believe there is room to improve quality of care and patient engagement. Moreover, collaboration among physical therapists can be promoted using an innovative platform.
Purpose: The purpose of the project was to describe the process of innovation and product development of a new telerehabilitation platform for use in a global society.
Methods: Survey methods were utilized to discover marketing trends among physical therapists and patients for a new telerehabilitation platform to be developed, which builds community between physical therapy clinicians and patients. Qualitative interview techniques were utilized to learn from, with, and about other providers with similar products used in other industries. Services provided by this new and novel platform include sharing of educational materials and exercise videos with other physiotherapist and patients. Artificial Intelligence (AI) was incorporated into the platform to allow feedback on exercise movement for home programs.
Results: Participants included 246 practicing physical therapists in the United States of America. Results from a patient population are still pending. Mean age of participants was 40 - 45 + 10 years. There were 69% of respondents who were female and 31% who were male. Practice setting for participants included: outpatient care 48%, geriatrics 16%, neurorehabilitation 14%, acute care 12%, pediatrics 6%, cardiac care 2%, and wound care 1%. In the survey, 82% of participants utilized telerehabilitation in their practice of PT. Computers (69%), followed by phone (24%), and tablet (7%) were the most common ways to access telerehabilitation platforms. 85% of participants had never created an app while 10% of participants had created a telerehabilitation app. Not being trained in how to create an app was seen as a barrier, yet if an app were provided participants would be open to using that new platform. One of the biggest challenges to using telerehabilitation was the fact that multiple platforms had to be utilized to send exercise programs and that current apps did not provide a “one-stop shop.” Another challenge was the difficulty in tracking patient adherence to home programs. The time of COVID-19 has increased usage of telerehabilitation among 74% of participants. Challenges to regular telerehabilitation platforms discussed by the participant were the difficulty in teaching, monitoring, and progressing home exercise programs for patients.
Conclusion(s): It appears that physical therapists are open to using telerehabilitation. Many of the current platforms are not servicing practitioners well making telerehabilitation difficult to implement in this time of COVID-19. Physical therapists in the USA are open to new and novel platforms for telerehabilitation which provide a more efficient and effective experience for physical therapists and their patients/clients.
Implications: This product holds the possibility for everyone to have access to physical therapy care during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. It also holds potential for communities experiencing civil unrest and war by allowing individuals to access care without being placed in danger when traveling to and from physiotherapy sessions.
Funding, acknowledgements: There were no funding agencies involved in this project. The authors have nothing to declare
Keywords: Telerehabilitation, Social media, Innovation
Topic: COVID-19
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: University of North Georgia
Committee: IRB at the University of North Georgia
Ethics number: #2020-116
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
