Transforming the Provision of Physiotherapy in the Time of COVID-19: A Call to Action for Telerehabilitation

Abstract

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has presented a global health threat, and it poses challenges to how physiotherapists deliver health care. Physiotherapists have an ethical obligation not only to reduce the spread of COVID-19 but also to provide client-centred care and to improve or maintain function among those living in the community. Telerehabilitation provides an opportunity to maintain function, prevent future hospitalizations, and assist with discharge from hospitals while maintaining physical distancing recommendations. This editorial outlines the evidence for telerehabilitation, key considerations for its use, challenges to its use, and we issue a call to action.

Exploration of implementation, financial and technical considerations within allied health professional (AHP) telehealth consultation guidance: a scoping review including UK AHP professional bodies’ guidance

“…Four UK AHP professional body guidelines 33 36–38 reported that AHPs should record the consultation as it was a face-to-face appointment. Quigley et al 29 stated that patient documentation should have a Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan note format. 29 Ben-Ahron, 20 the College of Podiatry 36 and The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists 37 also reported that subjective information and clinical outcomes should be documented, but no suggestion about the use of a structured format was provided.…”

“…Quigley et al 29 stated that patient documentation should have a Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan note format. 29 Ben-Ahron, 20 the College of Podiatry 36 and The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists 37 also reported that subjective information and clinical outcomes should be documented, but no suggestion about the use of a structured format was provided. 20 36 37 Four articles/guidelines 19 24 29 33 mentioned that AHPs should specify in their notes that the consultation was delivered remotely.…”

O uso da telereabilitação para melhora do equilíbrio nas disfunções neurológicas

“…A dosagem adequada e o tempo de tratamento neurorreabilitativo são essenciais para um resultado positivo 31 . Entretanto, com base na análise dos estudos incluídos, as intervenções por meio da telereabilitação apresentaram variações quanto à duração, de três semanas 11 a 12 semanas 16 ; a frequência semanal, de duas 15,16 a 5 vezes na semana 11 ; e o tempo de terapia, que variou de 15 minutos 11 a 50 minutos 12,14 32,33 , e na atual situação mundial, permite que os pacientes continuem com seus tratamentos em domicílio de forma segura e eficiente 34 . Para isso é necessário avaliar a condição de saúde e nível de alfabetização digital, além de ouvir e compreender as preferências do paciente, orientar e esclarecer possíveis dúvidas, utilizar de linguagem e comando simples, e assim, motivar a participação ativa do paciente em seu tratamento 35 .…”

“At risk” and “vulnerable”! Reflections on inequities and the impact of COVID-19 on disabled people

“…Moreover, physiotherapists are ethically obliged to consider their personal and collective role in addressing such inequities (Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand, 2020). This is particularly relevant now as physiotherapists have and will continue to have an integral role in the acute hospital management of people with COVID-19, the rehabilitation and recovery of people following COVID-19 infection, and the primary management (including telehealth) and acute care management of people with other health and disability issues (Silva et al, 2020;Haines & Berney, 2020;Quigley et al, 2020;Sheehy, 2020;Thomas et al, 2020;Turolla et al, 2020).…”