Effects of telerehabilitation in occupational therapy practice: A systematic review

Abstract

Objective/background This study aimed to review the current evidence on the application of telerehabilitation in occupational therapy practice and its clinical outcomes over the last 10 years. Methods A systematic review was performed on studies published in English in the decade 2008 to 2017, retrieved from seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, SAGE, Science Direct and EMBASE). Only articles evaluating the use of telerehabilitation to provide occupational therapy services from a distance were included, with no restrictions on pathology, impairment, age, or the nature of occupational therapy intervention. Results Fifteen articles (three randomised controlled trials, eight quasi-experimental studies, one trial with single-group post-intervention and three case studies) were reviewed. Despite various study designs and outcome measures, most studies indicated positive therapeutic effects of using telerehabilitation in occupational therapy practice. There is insufficient evidence, however, to confirm that telerehabilitation is more effective than the face-to-face model. Little evidence was shown on the long-term effect and cost efficacy. Only two studies used smartphones in their applications. Conclusion Telerehabilitation offers an alternative service delivery model for occupational therapy, not only bridging distance but also offering user-friendly treatment for patients at home. Further research, particularly on the use of the most cutting-edge mobile technology, is needed to determine effectiveness in occupational therapy practice treating various diseases, conditions and impairments and the characteristics of patients, interventions and therapists that lead to the best fit with this alternative and emerging form of service delivery.

Continuity of Care During COVID-19 Lockdown: A Survey on Stakeholders' Experience With Telerehabilitation

“…Logit regression analysis showed a significant association between the group of physical, occupational, and neurodevelopmental therapists and a good perception of telerehabilitation as a feasible method for maintaining therapeutic goals. Although data are based only on clinical observations made during video calls and not by formal assessment of therapeutic goals, these results are in line with previous studies (62)(63)(64)(65)(66). No significant correlations were observed among the level of agreement with the statements and the group of speech therapists and psychologists.…”

Patient Satisfaction with Telehealth in Rural Settings: A Systematic Review

“… Hung and Fong (2019) only evaluated the effectiveness of rehabilitation for occupational therapy delivered via telehealth and did not use patient satisfaction as the main outcome measure. They also did not find sufficient evidence that telehealth was more effective than standard in-person services ( Hung & Fong, 2019 ). Another systematic review on synchronous telehealth for musculoskeletal conditions found that telehealth was an effective service delivery model and found it to be comparable to standard practices ( Cottrell et al, 2017 ).…”

Accelerating Telemedicine for Cerebral Palsy During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

“…Telemedicine used as a multidisciplinary tele-meeting consumes less time and effort for the families and is more effective for Tele-Guide-lined and Structured Continuous Care (TGSCC). It maintains the added value of multiple specialists assembled without jeopardizing the possibility of discussion and re-evaluation based on real time interaction with the patient and family with all healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers being in their protected environment ( 18 , 39 , 40 ). Such tele-contact also obviates the need for the use of personal protective equipment such as gloves and face masks, limits the risk of viral spread, and offers patients a more natural environment without compromising health care personnel and patients' safety ( 21 ).…”