310 research outputs found
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Theoretical Aspects of Transdisciplinarity in Telerehabilitation
Full text linkThis article explores the theoretical aspects of transdisciplinary research, with a specific focus on its application to telerehabilitation. The integration of multiple disciplines – ranging from medicine, digital health, and informatics to engineering and the social sciences – is increasingly necessary to address the complex challenges of delivering effective remote rehabilitation services. The article begins by outlining the conceptual framework, distinguishing between disciplinary, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approaches, and highlighting the importance of transcending traditional disciplinary boundaries.
The theoretical foundations discussed provide a basis for understanding how the convergence of diverse fields can lead to innovative solutions in telerehabilitation. The integration of disciplines is examined in detail, illustrating how collaborative efforts across medicine, technology, and behavioral sciences can enhance patient outcomes, improve accessibility, and foster the development of personalized rehabilitation plans. The article also covers the practical implications for clinical practice, emphasizing the need for a more collaborative model of care delivery and the potential for cost-effective, scalable solutions.
Looking toward the future, the article identifies key areas for research, including the development of advanced technologies, exploration of new therapeutic modalities, and consideration of ethical and social impacts. The need for standardization and interoperability in telerehabilitation systems is also underscored, as these will be critical to ensuring the seamless integration of various technologies and platforms.
Telerehabilitation in Colombia: A Country Report and Qualitative Analysis During the Covid-19 Pandemic - Perceptions of Healthcare Providers and Patients
Full text linkGiven Colombia’s status as a middle-income country with healthcare challenges, leveraging telemedicine could significantly benefit hard-to-reach regions, under-resourced and underserved communities. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the country's telerehabilitation landscape, exploring the clinicians' and patients' perspectives during the COVID-19 pandemic through systematic review and qualitative analysis. Sixteen therapists and three patients were identified via snowball sampling. The literature review was scarce and scattered across various topics in the country; some studies delved into specific aspects like legislative frameworks and patient outcomes from different medical specialties. The qualitative analysis demonstrates that despite the learning curve, telerehabilitation strengthens therapeutic support, enhances patient autonomy, fosters a positive patient-provider relationship, achieves treatment goals, promotes family involvement, reduces time and costs, and ensures continuity of therapy services. This study identified research gaps, challenges, and opportunities in telerehabilitation in a Latin American country. Adopting telemedicine technologies in low- and middle-income countries could significantly enhance their healthcare systems
The Development and Pilot Testing of a Fidelity Checklist for a Family-Centered Telehealth Intervention for Parents of Children with Motor Delay
Full text linkThis multi-methods study describes the development of a pediatric rehabilitation telehealth intervention fidelity checklist, estimates its inter-rater reliability, and documents raters' implementation experience. A literature scan and expert consultation identified eighteen key behaviors and categorized them into three subdomains, measured using a 5-point measurement system. To estimate the checklist’s inter-rater reliability, three raters scored 33 video recordings. A Shrout and Fleiss Class 1,1 intraclass correlation (ICC)) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated ICCs = 0.5 (CI: 0, 0.9) for both the Therapist and the Parent-Therapists subdomains, and the Parent subdomain an ICC = 0.3 (CI: 0, 0.8). In the implementation surveys, raters reported high levels of satisfaction (100%), ease of use (84% to 88%), and confidence in their video ratings (87% to 100%). Changes in procedures and scoring were recommended. Capturing raters’ implementation experiences is crucial in the early evaluation of the fidelity checklists for telehealth.
The Delphi Method: Developing a Telerehabilitation Practice Guideline for Patients in Indonesia with Long COVID
Full text linkTelerehabilitation has the potential to help expand the reach of rehabilitation intervention. An online questionnaire-based Delphi method set out to develop a telerehabilitation guideline for patients in Indonesia with Long COVID. A Delphi panel comprised of 24 experts was selected from all relevant disciplines. Over two rounds of Delphi testing, panelists gave opinions and indicated their level of agreement with each recommendation. Key elements of consensus for a telerehabilitation guideline for patients with Long COVID includes: the benefit of telerehabilitation, types of rehabilitation intervention needed, methods of intervention, criteria for home-based self-exercise training, set-up of rehabilitation prescription, exercise monitoring, evaluation of rehabilitation intervention and duration of rehabilitation intervention. Further research is needed to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of this guideline.
Editors' Note
Full text linkIJT enjoys a diverse international audience due to the expanding global relevance of telemedicine, telehealth, and telerehabilitation. Recently, we are pleased to publish work by authors from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, and the United States
Digital Technology Enablers of Tele-Neurorehabilitation in Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Era – A Scoping Review
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Neurorehabilitation (NR), a major component of neurosciences, is the process of restoring a patient’s damaged/disorganized neurological function, through training, therapy, and education, while focusing on patient’s independence and well-being. Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, various applications of telecare and telehealth services surged drastically and became an integral part of current clinical practices. Tele-Neurorehabilitation (TNR) is one of such applications. When rehabilitation services were disrupted globally due to lockdown and travel restrictions, the importance of TNR was recognized, especially in developed, low, and middle-income countries. With exponential deployment of telehealth interventions in neurosciences, TNR has become a distinct stand-alone sub-specialty of neurosciences and telehealth. Digital technologies, such as wearables, robotics, and Virtual Reality (VR) have enabled TNR to improve the quality of patients’ lives. Providing NR remotely using digital technologies and customized digital devices is now a reality, and likely to be the new norm soon. This article provides an overview of the needs, utilization, and deployment of TNR, and focuses on digital technology enablers of TNR in pre- and post- COVID-19 pandemic era
Corrections to: Evaluation of Psychometric Properties of Thai Version Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (T-TUQ), International Journal of Telerehabilitation
No full textCorrections to: Parima Hirunwiwatkul, MD, Punnaka Pongpanich, MD, Wasee Tulvatana, MD, Supharat Jariyakosol, MD, Warongporn Phuenpathom, MD, MS, Supaporn Krittanupong, RN, Ruttanabhorn Chonramak, BS, Tidarat Pichedvanichok, BSN, RN, Roongroj Bhidayasiri, MD, FRCP, Chaichana Nimnuan, MD, PhD. Evaluation of Psychometric Properties of Thai Version Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (T-TUQ), International Journal of Telerehabilitation, Vol. 15, No. 2 Fall 2023 • (10.5195/ijt.2023.6577)
Telerehabilitation for New Wheelchair Evaluations: A Retrospective Study of Patient Characteristics
Full text linkThe purpose of this paper was to describe the clinical and personal factors of persons with disabilities (PwD) seeking a new wheelchair evaluation via telerehabilitation compared to in-person appointments. This retrospective cohort analysis used the Functional Mobility Assessment and Uniform Dataset, which is a nationwide registry with ongoing enrollment at 31 clinical sites of PwD seeking a new wheelchair evaluation. PwD were stratified into either a Telerehabilitation Group or In-Person Group. There were 1,669 PwD in the Telerehabilitation Group and 10,284 in the In-Person Group. The Telerehabilitation Group had a higher mean age and higher percentage of Progressively Acquired Disabilities than the In-Person Group. This project lays the groundwork for future comparative effectiveness studies, which may influence telerehabilitation reimbursement policies for wheelchair services
Optimizing Telepractice Selection and Implementation for Persons with Aphasia
Full text linkTelepractice is used to conduct many aspects of healthcare, including rehabilitation and research. However, information regarding how to identify optimal candidates and overcome barriers to participating in telepractice are limited. In the context of aphasia rehabilitation research, we developed two tools for optimizing telepractice: (1) the Participant Technology Questionnaire (PTQ), an aphasia-friendly tool for gathering information about potential telepractice participants; and (2) the Virtual-Appropriate Decision Approach (VADA), a framework for assessing and modifying methods that support virtual activities. The PTQ provides valuable information about the effects of human, technology and setting influences that may impact the success of transitioning activities to a virtual format, while the VADA takes findings from the PTQ one step further into application. The PTQ and the VADA can help researchers and clinicians with planning and directing virtual engagement, and both tools have potential to be applied broadly in all areas of telepractice
Telerehabilitation Guidelines for Patients with Breast Cancer (Ukrainian Language Edition)
Full text linkThe document covers current advancements in telerehabilitation, including regulatory frameworks, clinical aspects of postmastectomy pain syndrome, and the role of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in managing patients with breast cancer. It details the Telerehabilitation Platform, describing its structural and functional components, including software modules and administrative subsystems. The guidelines also outline methods for evaluating telerehabilitation effectiveness and discuss patient-centered telerehabilitation programs for various stages, from preoperative to long-term care. Nine appendices provide additional resources such as questionnaires, physical therapy programs, and equipment requirements