American Telemedicine Association’s Principles for Delivering Telerehabilitation Services

Abstract

Telehealth is a broad term used to describe the use of electronic or digital information and communications technologies to support clinical healthcare, patient and professional health related education, and public health and health administration. Telerehabilitation refers to the delivery of rehabilitation and habilitation services via information and communication technologies (ICT), also commonly referred to as” telehealth” technologies. Telerehabilitation services can include evaluation, assessment, monitoring, prevention, intervention, supervision, education, consultation, and coaching. Telerehabilitation services can be deployed across all patient populations and multiple healthcare settings including clinics, homes, schools, or community-based worksites. This document was adapted from the American Telemedicine Association’s (ATA) “A Blueprint for Telerehabilitation Guidelines” (2010) and reflects the current utilization of telerehabilitation services. It was developed collaboratively by members of the ATA Telerehabilitation Special Interest Group, 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 secure services that are based on client needs, current empirical evidence, and available technologies. Rehabilitation professionals, in conjunction with professional associations and other organizations are encouraged to use this document as a resource for developing discipline-specific standards, guidelines, and practice requirements.Keywords: American Telemedicine Association, Habilitation, Rehabilitation, Telehealth, Telepractice

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“…In fact, law and data protection seem to be a concern among health professionals. Education and advocacy are described as central to the continued use of HCD (9). Legal issues (concerning laws, regulations, guidelines, and standards) regarding con dentiality, operational or contractual requirements, billing and coding processes, clinical and nonclinical documentation, licensure regulations, clients rights and responsibilities, and data protection and secure data storage are all concerns that must be addressed before implementing HCD (9).…”

“…Tele-health, i.e., the provision of health care at a distance (HCD), might be suitable for continuing therapy under these circumstances (8). The use of HCD has been described in a number of areas of work, including the outpatient area, the inpatient sector, the home environment and school settings (9). As HCD reduces contact between vulnerable persons and the environment, it enables interaction with persons in strict isolation while simultaneously facilitating intense and long-term treatment (10).…”

“…Communication technologies typically used include phones, short message services (SMS), videotelephony systems, and application software programs (apps). HCD allows for remote evaluation, assessment, monitoring, prevention, intervention, supervision, education, counselling, and coaching (9). In rehabilitation, there is evidence that remote interventions ("telerehabilitation") have either better or equal salutary effects on motor, higher cortical, and mood disorders as well as quality of life compared with conventional in-person interventions (11)(12)(13).…”

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“…Information and communication technologies can enable visual and auditory communication in real time between the healthcare professional and the patient in a remote location. Services provided by telehealth can include evaluation, assessment, monitoring, prevention, intervention, supervision, education, consultation and coaching [ 27 ]. Using technology in this manner can break down barriers imposed by face-to-face services, and may be an appropriate strategy to increase accessibility for those with disability or who live remotely to the clinic or hospital [ 28 , 29 , 30 ].…”

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“…E-rehabilitation or telerehabilitation are the terms used to define medical rehabilitation programs that are implemented at home with the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) [14].…”