Physical Therapists' Perspectives on the Use of Telehealth With First Nations Peoples in Canada: A Qualitative Study.
Débora Petry Moecke, Travis Holyk, Stacy Maddocks and 3 others
PMID 39673379WHAT IT FOUND
Therapists valued telehealth for access and follow-ups but found it less personal, citing connection issues and trauma barriers.
They recommended in-person first visits, on-site support, and cultural safety training to build trust with First Nations patients.
Key findings
01Participants identified increased access and scheduling flexibility as main advantages, while limited practical skills and difficulty fostering connection were the main disadvantages.
02Telehealth was considered suitable for triage, follow-ups, education, and exercise prescription, but risky for chronic pain, fall risk, cardio-respiratory instability, and neurological issues.
03Strategies to foster trust included cultural safety training, initial in-person visits, community familiarity, interprofessional collaboration, and on-site third-party support.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study focused on a specific context (northern British Columbia) and population (First Nations), limiting transferability to other regions or Indigenous groups. Participants received monetary compensation, which may have influenced their responses. Findings are based on therapist perspectives only; patient perspectives were not included. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have affected attitudes toward telehealth. The first author's positionality as a Latin-American White woman may have introduced unconscious bias, although mitigated by reflexivity and team collaboration.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the University of British Columbia, the Canadian Institute of Health Research, and the Canadian Respiratory Research Network. The funders played no role in the design, conduct, or reporting of the study. No conflicts of interest were declared by the authors.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these findings as evidence that telehealth is effective for all physical therapy outcomes. The study reports therapist perspectives on feasibility and relationship-building, not clinical efficacy. Additionally, the sample was limited to northern British Columbia, so these views may not apply to other regions or patient groups.