A Blueprint for Telerehabilitation Guidelines

Abstract

Telerehabilitation refers to the delivery of rehabilitation services via information and communication technologies. Clinically, this term encompasses a range of rehabilitation and habilitation services that include assessment, monitoring, prevention, intervention, supervision, education, consultation, and counseling. Telerehabilitation has the capacity to provide service across the lifespan and across a continuum of care. Just as the services and providers of telerehabilitation are broad, so are the points of service, which may include health care settings, clinics, homes, schools, or community-based worksites. This document was developed collaboratively by members of the Telerehabilitation SIG of the American Telemedicine Association, with input and guidance from other practitioners in the field, strategic stakeholders, and ATA staff. Its purpose is to inform and assist practitioners in providing effective and safe services that are based on client needs, current empirical evidence, and available technologies. Telerehabilitation professionals, in conjunction with professional associations and other organizations are encouraged to use this document as a template for developing discipline-specific standards, guidelines, and practice requirements.

Guidelines for Adult Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery

“…265 Telemedicine may be used by examiners in remote locations to measure level of disability. 266 The assessment of body function/structure in a patient recovering from stroke may be performed to predict outcome, to monitor recovery, to monitor response to a new therapy, to guide new treatment decisions, to document clinical status as part of reimbursement, to inform patient stratification such as in selecting postdischarge setting, in the context of a clinical trial, as part of stroke center or rehabilitation ward certification requirements, or in compliance with a stroke care plan protocol. Valid reliable measures have been defined for each of these purposes.…”

Impact of Dysphagia Severity on Clinical Decision Making via Telerehabilitation

“…40 In recent policy guidelines it is noted that patient suitability for telerehabilitation assessments should be determined on a case-by-case basis. 41 Policy statements also stress the importance of training to ensure clinicians are competent to deliver online services, particularly for more complex patients. 41 Conclusions Data revealed acceptable levels of agreement for the primary outcome parameters (oral or nonoral intake or safe food and fluid levels) across all severity groups.…”

Telerehabilitation and recovery of motor function: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Several position statements have been published about telerehabilitation in the last few years 94,95 , highlighting the need for standardization of procedures, aims and targets characterizing this therapeutic modality.…”