Competency requirements for patients and therapists in telerehabilitation aftercare: a qualitative study.

The sample was very small, particularly the patient group (n=5), limiting the depth of patient perspectives. Participants were mostly highly educated and technology-affine, so findings may not apply to patients with lower digital literacy or education. The study was conducted in Germany, where telerehabilitation aftercare is part of standard care, so findings may not generalize to other healthcare systems. Patient interviews were not conducted as focus groups due to low recruitment, which may have limited the interaction and depth of data compared to therapist interviews. Selection bias is likely, as participants volunteered and were recruited through digital channels, potentially excluding those who struggled with or avoided telerehabilitation.

The study was funded by the Society for Rehabilitation Sciences North Rhine-Westphalia. Open access fees were covered by the University Library of Siegen. No other conflicts of interest were declared.

Do not interpret these findings as evidence that telerehabilitation improves patient outcomes. This study only describes the competencies users feel are necessary; it does not test whether possessing these competencies actually leads to better health results.