Survey of Rehabilitation Clinicians in the United States: Barriers and Critical Use-Cases for mRehab Adoption

This paper presents data and analysis from survey research conducted by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Information and Communications Technology Access for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Access for Community Living, Health and Function (LiveWell RERC) on the perceptions and attitudes of clinical professionals in rehabilitation medicine regarding mobile health (mHealth) and mobile rehabilitation (mRehab) practices, techniques and technology in the United States. The analytical focus of this paper is on two key survey questions related to specific barriers and opportunities (most critical use-cases) for adopting mHealth/mRehab interventions. We present response data to these two questions segmented by clinical specialty – physical, occupational, speech and recreation therapy – to identify possible variation between and among these rehabilitation professions. This analysis provides a detailed map of the terrain of clinician expectations and experiences for the adoption and implementation of mHealth/mRehab interventions in the United States, and possibly other countries. Results show substantial support for mRehab interventions and technologies across all four clinical specialties. The most frequently identified barriers to effective use of mobile and internet technologies to support patients remotely focused on patients (ability to learn and use the technology, and internet access), not clinicians. The was more variability among clinical specializations regarding best use-cases. Tracking patient adherence to prescribed activities and supporting patients in the home and community were the most frequently cited best use cases across the whole sample.