Optimizing Telepractice Selection and Implementation for Persons with Aphasia

Telepractice is used to conduct many aspects of healthcare, including rehabilitation and research. However, information regarding how to identify optimal candidates and overcome barriers to participating in telepractice are limited. In the context of aphasia rehabilitation research, we developed two tools for optimizing telepractice: (1) the Participant Technology Questionnaire (PTQ), an aphasia-friendly tool for gathering information about potential telepractice participants; and (2) the Virtual-Appropriate Decision Approach (VADA), a framework for assessing and modifying methods that support virtual activities. The PTQ provides valuable information about the effects of human, technology and setting influences that may impact the success of transitioning activities to a virtual format, while the VADA takes findings from the PTQ one step further into application. The PTQ and the VADA can help researchers and clinicians with planning and directing virtual engagement, and both tools have potential to be applied broadly in all areas of telepractice

The Delphi Method: Developing a Telerehabilitation Practice Guideline for Patients in Indonesia with Long COVID

Telerehabilitation has the potential to help expand the reach of rehabilitation intervention. An online questionnaire-based Delphi method set out to develop a telerehabilitation guideline for patients in Indonesia with Long COVID. A Delphi panel comprised of 24 experts was selected from all relevant disciplines. Over two rounds of Delphi testing, panelists gave opinions and indicated their level of agreement with each recommendation. Key elements of consensus for a telerehabilitation guideline for patients with Long COVID includes: the benefit of telerehabilitation, types of rehabilitation intervention needed, methods of intervention, criteria for home-based self-exercise training, set-up of rehabilitation prescription, exercise monitoring, evaluation of rehabilitation intervention and duration of rehabilitation intervention. Further research is needed to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of this guideline. 

A Comparative Analysis of Telerehabilitation and Telemedicine Utilization During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland: Trends, Patterns, and Implications

The study aimed to examine the influence of COVID-19 on the adoption of teleservices in Poland, with a focus on contrasting patterns between rehabilitation and ambulatory care settings. We conducted a retrospective analysis of a national dataset to assess trends in telehealth use from 2020 to 2022. The use of teleservices peaked in April 2020 in both sectors. The share of the teleservices in the period of October 2020-December 2022 was much higher in the ambulatory (average 7,8%) than the rehabilitation sector (average 0,16%). Although, the analysis showed a moderate relationship between COVID-19 incidence and telehealth utilization (Spearman's rho from 0.39 and 0.52). Our findings demonstrate no statistically significant difference in Spearman’s rho values between ambulatory care and rehabilitation, indicating a similar strength of response to the pandemic waves. Our findings underscore the importance of telehealth services in ensuring healthcare accessibility during times of crisis, emphasizing their role in facilitating continuity of care amidst pandemic-related disruptions. This study contributes to the understanding of telehealth utilization trends during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering insights into the adaptive responses of healthcare systems to unprecedented challenges. Further research is warranted to explore the long-term implications of telehealth use and to inform strategies for optimizing healthcare delivery in post-pandemic contexts.

The Development and Pilot Testing of a Fidelity Checklist for a Family-Centered Telehealth Intervention for Parents of Children with Motor Delay

This multi-methods study describes the development of a pediatric rehabilitation telehealth intervention fidelity checklist, estimates its inter-rater reliability, and documents raters' implementation experience. A literature scan and expert consultation identified eighteen key behaviors and categorized them into three subdomains, measured using a 5-point measurement system. To estimate the checklist’s inter-rater reliability, three raters scored 33 video recordings. A Shrout and Fleiss Class 1,1 intraclass correlation (ICC)) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated ICCs = 0.5 (CI: 0, 0.9) for both the Therapist and the Parent-Therapists subdomains, and the Parent subdomain an ICC = 0.3 (CI: 0, 0.8). In the implementation surveys, raters reported high levels of satisfaction (100%), ease of use (84% to 88%), and confidence in their video ratings (87% to 100%). Changes in procedures and scoring were recommended. Capturing raters’ implementation experiences is crucial in the early evaluation of the fidelity checklists for telehealth.

Editors' Note

IJT enjoys a diverse international audience due to the expanding global relevance of telemedicine, telehealth, and telerehabilitation. Recently, we are pleased to publish work by authors from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, and the United States

“This Is Going To Be Different, But It’s Not Impossible”: Adapting To Telehealth Occupational Therapy For Autistic Children

This qualitative study examined participants’ experiences of transitioning to telehealth-delivered pediatric occupational therapy for autistic children during the COVID-19 pandemic. We interviewed three clinic administrators, four occupational therapists, and six parents of autistic children (n=13) from three Los Angeles area clinics over a 7-month period. Our narrative and thematic analyses yielded three overarching themes: Transformative Experiences, Reimagining Therapy, and Going Forward. Overall, we found that the transition to telehealth shifted participants’ preconceptions about themselves, their relationships, and the nature of occupational therapy. Many deepened their relationships; adapted interventions; uncovered surprising capabilities; and challenged the occupational therapy status quo to advocate for ongoing virtual delivery. Our findings bear relevance to the body of current literature debating the post-pandemic viability of telehealth-delivered occupational therapy

Telerehabilitation Guidelines for Patients with Breast Cancer

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the current developments in telerehabilitation, focusing on the regulatory and legal frameworks for delivering telerehabilitation services, the clinical manifestations of postmastectomy pain syndrome, and the role and significance of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) in the telerehabilitation of patients with breast cancer (BC). The document also explores telerehabilitation interventions for BC. A detailed description of the software and hardware tools is provided, including the structural and functional overview of the Telerehabilitation Platform (TRP), software modules such as "Telerehabilitation," "Medical Reports," the Administrative Subsystem, the Information-Analytical Subsystem, which encompass the PM&R physician’s digital workspace, the PM&R Expert Subsystem, and the Patient’s digital workspace. It also covers existing and prospective scales for evaluating the effectiveness of telerehabilitation, as well as the specifics of working with identified patients in accordance with the eHealth (Electronic Healthcare System of Ukraine) requirements. The guidelines conclude with organizational and methodological aspects for implementing telerehabilitation programs, including initial and stage-specific rehabilitation assessments, basic ICF sets, and various patient-specific telerehabilitation programs. These include a patient-centered program for the preoperative stage of telerehabilitation and individualized programs for the post-acute and long-term phases. The eight appendices include questionnaires, physical therapy programs, protocols, diaries, and requirements for the equipment and staff of the telerehabilitation/telemedicine office, among other resources

Corrections to: Evaluation of Psychometric Properties of Thai Version Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (T-TUQ), International Journal of Telerehabilitation

Corrections to:  Parima Hirunwiwatkul, MD, Punnaka Pongpanich, MD, Wasee Tulvatana, MD, Supharat Jariyakosol, MD, Warongporn Phuenpathom, MD, MS, Supaporn Krittanupong, RN, Ruttanabhorn Chonramak, BS, Tidarat Pichedvanichok, BSN, RN, Roongroj Bhidayasiri, MD, FRCP, Chaichana Nimnuan, MD, PhD. Evaluation of Psychometric Properties of Thai Version Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (T-TUQ), International Journal of Telerehabilitation,  Vol. 15, No. 2 Fall 2023 • (10.5195/ijt.2023.6577)

Telerehabilitation Guidelines for Patients with Breast Cancer (Ukrainian Language Edition)

The document covers current advancements in telerehabilitation, including regulatory frameworks, clinical aspects of postmastectomy pain syndrome, and the role of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in managing patients with breast cancer. It details the Telerehabilitation Platform, describing its structural and functional components, including software modules and administrative subsystems. The guidelines also outline methods for evaluating telerehabilitation effectiveness and discuss patient-centered telerehabilitation programs for various stages, from preoperative to long-term care. Nine appendices provide additional resources such as questionnaires, physical therapy programs, and equipment requirements

Editorial for the Special Issue of the International Journal of Telerehabilitation

This editorial introduces the special issue of the International Journal of Telerehabilitation, which highlights advancements in telerehabilitation technologies and their applications in healthcare, particularly in cancer care. The issue addresses the importance of remote healthcare, especially in regions like Ukraine, where the wartime situation has posed significant challenges to traditional rehabilitation services. It also presents the Ukrainian Language Edition of the Guidelines on Telerehabilitation of Breast Cancer Patients and a theoretical study on the transdisciplinary aspects of telerehabilitation. The editorial further emphasizes the significance of the upcoming 4th National Congress of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine in Ukraine, which will focus on multidisciplinary rehabilitation approaches amidst ongoing conflict