Using Virtual Care to Assess the Health Needs of People With Intellectual Disabilities: A Scoping Review.

This was a scoping review, not a test of whether virtual care is better than in-person care. No quality assessment was done; most included studies were cohort, descriptive or non-randomised, with only one randomised trial. Client and carer views were often reported together, so the preferences of people with intellectual disabilities cannot be separated from carers. The review was English-language only and interpreted against an Australian NSW strategy, so it may not fit other services. Telemonitoring and ongoing therapeutic interventions were excluded, so it does not answer questions about remote monitoring or therapy delivery. Several included studies did not report assessment type, location or duration, so the practical picture is incomplete. The review did not separate which component of virtual care, such as video, carer support or multidisciplinary input, produced any benefit.

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Do not conclude virtual care can replace in-person assessment for people with intellectual disabilities. The review did not assess study quality, included mostly cohort, descriptive or non-randomised studies, and reported that physical examinations, unstable medical conditions and more severe intellectual disability made virtual assessment unsuitable or difficult.