Telehealth for musculoskeletal physiotherapy

Abstract

Introduction: Musculoskeletal conditions are a leading cause of global morbidity. Access to traditional in-person healthcare can be difficult for some under usual conditions and has become a ubiquitous barrier throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth, defined as the 'delivery of healthcare at a distance using information and communication technology' is a solution to many access barriers and has been rapidly adopted by many healthcare professions throughout the crisis. While significant advancements in technology has made the widespread adoption of telehealth feasible, there are many factors to be considered when implementing a telehealth service. Purpose: The aims of this masterclass are to (i) introduce telehealth and outline the current research within the context of musculoskeletal physiotherapy; (ii) provide insights into some of the broader challenges in the widescale adoption of telehealth; and (iii) to describe a systematic approach to implementing telehealth into existing healthcare settings, along with some practical considerations. Implications: Telehealth is a broad concept and should be implemented to meet the specific needs of a healthcare service. This masterclass offers a structured approach to the implementation of a musculoskeletal physiotherapy telehealth service, and highlights practical considerations required by both clinicians and healthcare organisations throughout all stages of the implementation process.

The Role of Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic Across the Interdisciplinary Cancer Team: Implications for Practice

“…Using virtual communication methods, telehealth supports remote access to care for musculoskeletal assessments while maintaining social distancing. 64 Physiotherapists are an important member of the multidisciplinary team to help optimize function, movement, and quality of life for people affected by cancer. 65 Physiotherapy using telerehabilitation instead of conventional face-to-face care could be a lasting alternative to treat people diagnosed with cancer in their home environment after hospital discharge, but additional research is needed.…”

Delivering remote consultations: Talking the talk

“…Within the literature, the advantages and disadvantages of remote consultations and meetings, have been reported from the perspecive of the patient, their family and the service ( Table 2 ), and the environmental and technological practicalities of setting up a service have been reported elsewhere ( Cottrell and Russell, 2020 ; Gilbert et al, 2020 ; Greenhalgh et al, 2018 ; NHS, 2019 ; NHSX, 2020 ; Wherton et al, 2020 ). [Please insert Table 2 near here].…”

Evaluating the Clinical and Cost Effectiveness of Musculoskeletal Digital Health Solutions

“…When assessing an MDA's functionality, the clinician will want to assess the MDA's ability to not only improve subjective pain scores, but also to improve objectively quantifiable measures of disability function. The MDAs with highest likelihood of yielding clinical benefit are those whose efficacy on objective measures have been established in peer-reviewed studies [39]. For example, two smaller randomized controlled trials demonstrated efficacy of MDAs with respect to improving both knee and back pain and disability function [40,41].…”