Does telehealth delivery of an occupational therapy home visiting service provide a non-inferior alternative to in-person delivery of the same service? A matched cohort study.
Rachel Lommerzheim, Feby Savira, Georgina Lewis and 9 others
PMID 40119704WHAT IT FOUND
Telehealth home visits took a median of 40 minutes compared to 160 minutes for in-person visits, with no significant difference in adverse events.
However, telehealth patients attended fewer sessions and received fewer interventions. Use video rather than phone, and expect complex cases to need in-person care.
Key findings
01Telehealth delivery significantly reduced median therapy time from referral to discharge compared to in-person care (40 minutes vs 160 minutes).
02There was no significant difference in adverse events, including falls, pressure injuries, delirium, or hospital readmissions, between the telehealth and in-person groups.
03Patients referred for equipment assessment, provision, or carer education were more likely to escalate from telehealth to in-person services.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was retrospective, relying on existing clinical documentation. Data were collected across different time periods (2020-2021 vs 2022), which may introduce seasonal or pandemic-related biases. Patients were matched by age, gender, and diagnosis, but not by functional level or frailty, which could affect comparability. Adverse events were tracked only for 3 months post-discharge. The telehealth group had a significantly higher proportion of patients diagnosed with cognitive decline compared to the in-person group. Non-attendance rates were higher in the telehealth group, which may reflect engagement issues not fully captured by clinical outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume telehealth is equally effective for all home visit types. The study showed telehealth patients received significantly fewer interventions and had higher non-attendance rates. Complex needs, such as equipment assessment and carer education, frequently required escalation to in-person care.