Background The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a rapid and expansive roll out of telehealth applications as a mode of intervention delivery. The effectiveness of this model of care is currently unclear. Objective A cross-sectional observational study evaluating the Irish physiotherapist’s experience of telehealth. Method Irish Physiotherapists completed an online survey, distributed by the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP), exploring considerations and barriers to commencing telehealth, advantages and disadvantages to telehealth, overall experience of telehealth, and their opinion on the future of telehealth. A descriptive approach and conceptual content analysis were used to analysis the data to derive determinants for the continuation of telehealth. Results In total, 205 physiotherapists completed the survey. Seventy-eight per cent were female. Participant's mean age range was 36 to 45 years with 17 years of physiotherapy experience. Eighty-three per cent had no experience with telehealth pre COVID-19. Considerations to commencing telehealth included service user's suitability, adequate technical and organisational resources, physiotherapist's professional conduct, physiotherapist's skills and COVID-19 restrictions. No outstanding barrier to telehealth was identified. Respondents identify that telehealth offered a reduction in travel time for the service user (82%), offer flexibility in the delivery of physiotherapy (81%) and avoid contact with a potential COVID-19 spreader (92%). The limited scope of the physical examination (86%) via telehealth is the significant disadvantage. Telehealth is considered a temporary stop-gap during the COVID-19 pandemic by forty per cent of physiotherapists while sixty per cent consider telehealth as a sustainable alternative mode of health care delivery. Conclusion At present, health care providers have not universally accepted telehealth as a mode of health care delivery. Our study’s findings identify key areas to address to encourage acceptance.
OBJECTIVE: The satisfaction and acceptance of telehealth by the Irish physiotherapy service user is currently unclear. This study aims to evaluate the Irish service users’ experience of physiotherapy delivered totally or partially via telehealth, using a cross-sectional self-reported anonymous postal survey. METHODS: Service users (n = 250) of the Cavan Monaghan physiotherapy department, Health Service Executive (HSE), Republic of Ireland were surveyed. Data was collected on demographics, experience with technology, experience and satisfaction with physiotherapy delivered via telehealth. Qualitative thematic analysis of the free-text responses was completed. RESULTS: A response rate of 40% was achieved. Participants attended physiotherapy for an average of 2.65 months. Upper limb complaints comprised 29% of participants, 27% had a back complaint, 21% had a lower limb complaint and 14% attended for a women’s health issue. Those who received their physiotherapy consultation over the phone comprised 78%, while 15% received it virtually and 85% were highly or somewhat satisfied with the telehealth physiotherapy they received. However, 49% prefer blended care (combination of telehealth and face-to-face), 41% prefer face-to-face consultations only and 10% are satisfied with telehealth solely. The recipients of virtual calls were all satisfied. In the future, 60% of these participants would prefer blended care, 20% would prefer face-to-face care only and 20% would be satisfied with telehealth solely. CONCLUSION: The physiotherapy telehealth services were well received. There was a greater acceptance of future telehealth usage by video call recipients compared to those who received a phone call only. Engagement with appropriate service users and their needs will be required to ensure the longevity and success of telehealth.
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