Connecting at the Webside: Rapid Telehealth Implementation for Musculoskeletal Clinicians

Is Telerehabilitation a Viable Option for People With Low Back Pain? Associations Between Telerehabilitation and Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Recent studies suggest that telehealth is being rapidly recognized and implemented in the wake of COVID-19. 2 , 12 , 16 , 17 Despite these reports, we observed a very low adoption rate (5.5%) by therapists in our study. A similar low adoption TR rate (6%) during the pandemic was also reported for a variety of orthopedic and neurological conditions.…”

“…These challenges have been well identified in previous studies. 6 , 13 , 17 , 57 Our results indicating that clinics that used TR were typically larger than those not using TR and that patients living in small towns and rural areas are less likely to receive TR highlight potential TR inequalities created by lack of financial and technological support available to small clinics and unequal access to digital devices or broad band internet services. 46…”

“…A number of papers have discussed TR care for musculoskeletal and chronic pain conditions in the wake of COVID-19. 3 , 12 , 16 , 17 However, we are aware of only 3 studies published since the onset of the pandemic that examined clinical feasibility, patient characteristics and conditions, and/or outcomes of TR. 4 , 18 , 19 Negrini et al demonstrated that a complete shift from traditional in-person clinic care to telehealth services for 1 tertiary outpatient institute in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic was feasible and acceptable for their medical professionals to provide ambulatory services with high levels of patient satisfaction.…”

Hands-off? Lessons from high-touch professionals about going virtual

“…When in a physical setting, practitioners are able to use their well-honed “bedside manners” and express their empathy through the physical setup of their office, their conversation, and their body language. But when going virtual, an appropriate “webside manner” needs to be learned and practiced ( Rethorn, 2021 ; Edelson, 2017 ). At the same time, building the virtual social competency (Baron & Markman, 2003) of patients is also necessary to ensure that they are able to handle online interactions effectively and participate fully in telehealth visits.…”

Is the End of the Pandemic the End of Telerehabilitation?

“…Although transitioning to TR was not easy, it was rewarding for many physical therapists, who honed their web-side manner 9 and achieved positive outcomes with their patients through 2020. 10 , 11 But, as vaccination rates increase and public health restrictions lift, the original (and major) incentive for mainstream TR utilization in 2020 begins to disappear.…”