Physiotherapists and patients report positive experiences overall with telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study.
Kim L Bennell, Belinda J Lawford, Ben Metcalf and 8 others
PMID 34147399WHAT IT FOUND
Physiotherapists and patients in Australia reported generally positive videoconference physiotherapy experiences, but 41% of individual and 43% of group patients rated quality lower than in-person, and technology, touch, assessment and falls risk concerns were reported.
Key findings
01Physiotherapists rated videoconference care 7 to 8 out of 10 for effectiveness and satisfaction, and most patients rated ease, communication, privacy, safety and effectiveness as moderately to extremely positive.
0241% of patients receiving individual care and 43% attending group classes rated videoconference physiotherapy lower quality than in-person care.
03Technology was predominant as both a facilitator and barrier, and physiotherapists also reported lack of physical touch, poor room setup, falls risk and unsuitability of some patients, with 66% deeming one or more patients unsuitable.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample used convenience recruitment through advertisements and physiotherapist email invitations, so respondents may differ from all Australian physiotherapists and patients. A proportion of people chose not to participate, reported as 22 to 30%, and they may have had different experiences. Physiotherapists and patients in tertiary or public hospital settings were not directly sampled. Patient or carer experiences for people under 18 years were not captured. The group-class results rest on smaller numbers: 35 physiotherapists provided group classes and 77 patients attended them. Most patients had already seen the same physiotherapist in person for the same problem before switching to videoconference, so the study may not reflect people starting care by telehealth. The study reports experiences and perceptions, not measured clinical outcomes, treatment effectiveness or safety events. Results are from Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic and may not generalise to other countries or routine non-pandemic practice. Only videoconferencing was examined, not telephone physiotherapy.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that videoconference physiotherapy is clinically effective or as good as in-person care for everyone. This study reports experiences and perceptions, not treatment outcomes, and 66% of physiotherapists deemed one or more patients unsuitable because of technology access, need for hands-on treatment, assessment limits or safety concerns.