Analysis of a model for pediatric physical therapy and clinical education via telehealth.
Courtney McKenzie, Melanie Titzer, Alyssa Hutchinson and 2 others
PMID 38457162WHAT IT FOUND
All 11 children improved in at least one motor goal during telehealth physical therapy.
Students and caregivers reported high feasibility and acceptance, though lack of hands-on contact and connectivity issues remained significant barriers to assessment.
Key findings
01All 11 children made qualitative and quantitative improvements in at least one target behavior.
02Technological issues such as poor connectivity and suboptimal camera angles occurred in sessions for six of the 11 children, limiting intervention delivery and assessment.
03Students and clinical instructors identified the lack of manual contact as the primary limitation of telehealth delivery compared to in-person therapy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study lacked a control group and used non-validated, researcher-defined target behaviors rather than standardized outcome measures. Analyses were retrospective, and surveys were distributed 18 months after the intervention, introducing potential recall bias. The sample size was very small (n=11 analyzed), and the intervention consisted of only four to five sessions. Video quality and connectivity issues prevented complete data collection for all sessions. The student response rate to surveys was low (38%).
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the observed improvements as proof of efficacy compared to in-person care. The study had no control group, used unvalidated outcome measures, and relied on retrospective video analysis, so the gains cannot be attributed solely to the telehealth model.