Telehealth Experiential Learning: A Pilot Study of The Client’s Experience

Abstract

This research examined the client experience of a student-led occupational therapy pro bono clinic that involved telehealth-delivered treatment sessions. Six clients responded to a survey that included both Likert scale close-ended and open-ended items. The researchers employed descriptive statistics for close-ended items and summarized open-ended responses. All close-ended items had a median score of 4 out of 5, indicating it was easy to communicate, easy to find and use features of the software, and that there were minimal problems with the software in the telehealth delivered sessions. Open ended-responses reflected an overall positive experience.

To what extent is telehealth reported to be incorporated into undergraduate and postgraduate allied health curricula: A scoping review

“…The studies included students from both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. There was one study that did not provide the number of participants [ 34 ]. In the remaining ten studies, the allied health students varied from 14 [ 31 ] to 139 [ 32 ].…”

“…In the remaining ten studies, the allied health students varied from 14 [ 31 ] to 139 [ 32 ]. The allied health students included in the studies by Edirippulige et al [ 26 ], Rutledge et al [ 24 ], Simpson et al [ 31 ], and Serwe and Bowman [ 34 ], were from single allied health professions of physiotherapy, social worker, psychology and occupational therapy (OT) respectively. The students enrolled in the course and programs for which curricula were reported in the other seven studies, came from a mixture of programs including the allied health programs of OT, physiotherapy, speech pathology, psychology, audiology, social work, and other non-allied health programs.…”

“…Despite all studies investigating telehealth education in university programs, there was variability in how this education was incorporated. Within the eleven studies, three of the curricula courses reported on, related to elective courses [ 24 , 27 , 29 ], seven were mandatory [ 25 , 26 , 28 , 31 – 34 ], and one study did not specify whether the course was mandatory or elective [ 30 ].…”

“…The curricula were delivered face-to-face, online or a combination of both. The curricula reported in Simpson et al [ 31 ], and Serwe and Bowman [ 34 ] were mainly conducted face-to-face, accompanied by some online reading. The curricula reported in the two studies by Edirippulige and co-authors [ 26 , 27 ] and the study by Procter [ 29 ] were delivered via online classes only.…”

“…Six of the studies had a practical component incorporating patient simulated settings, which was the most common format outlined [ 28 , 30 – 34 ]. There were only three studies that involved real-life patient placement/internships [ 30 , 31 , 34 ].…”