The virtual family conference in stroke rehabilitation: Education, preparation, and transition planning.
Benjamin R Ritsma, Peter J Gariscsak, Aarti Vyas and 2 others
PMID 36575852WHAT IT FOUND
Carers reported significantly better stroke knowledge, satisfaction with information, and confidence in transition planning after virtual family conferences.
Stress levels also improved in most areas. This was a pre-post study without a control group, so it shows feasibility and perceived benefit, not proof of effectiveness.
Key findings
01Carers reported significant improvements in stroke knowledge and confidence about community transition across all five topics measured after the virtual family conference.
02Satisfaction with information provision regarding stroke and discharge planning significantly improved across all five items on the questionnaire.
03Carer self-perceived stress significantly improved in three of four areas, specifically regarding feeling overwhelmed, lacking confidence in care abilities, and concerns about future care needs.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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 was single-center and had a relatively small sample size. There was no control group or comparison to in-person conferences, as virtual delivery had become standard care during the pandemic. The design was pre-post, meaning improvements could be due to natural recovery, other concurrent interventions, or the Hawthorne effect rather than the conference itself. The Stroke Knowledge and Community Transition Preparedness Questionnaire was designed specifically for this study and has not been previously validated. The study did not assess patient outcomes directly, only carer-rated perceptions.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the PSI New Investigator Grant.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the positive changes in carer ratings as proof that virtual conferences are superior to in-person meetings or other forms of education. The study lacked a control group, so the improvements may reflect the natural progression of the rehabilitation process or the mere fact of receiving information, rather than the specific format of the virtual conference.