Lessons Learned from Transitioning to Telerehabilitation During COVID-19 in Alberta, Canada

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: To better understand rehabilitation practitioner experiences with transitioning to telerehabilitation services during COVID-19, specifically around the use of technology and client assessment and treatment. DESIGN: This was a qualitative study of cross-sectional design. Rehabilitation practitioners completed semi-structured interviews via Zoom. Transcribed interviews were analyzed for themes. SETTING: With the onset of COVID-19, rehabilitation practitioners quickly adapted and started offering telerehabilitation services where they interacted directly with the client and evaluate, diagnose, and treat their condition virtually. These services differed from prior methods of telehealth, where healthcare practitioners delivered care from one healthcare facility to another. Practitioners from both public and private clinics shifted their services to virtual platforms quickly to provide continued care to patients needing acute and prolonged rehabilitation care. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four rehabilitation practitioners were recruited to participate in the study (14 physiotherapists, 4 occupational therapists, 2 speech language pathologists, 1 psychologist, 1 kinesiologist, 1 social worker, 1 orthopedic surgeon) from rural and urban clinics as well as private and publicly funded practices. Inclusion criteria required practitioners to have transitioned to telerehabilitation, either through video conferencing or telephone. INTERVENTIONS: N/A. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: N/A. RESULTS: The overarching theme which emerged from the data was providing continued access to care. Rehabilitation practitioners quickly transitioned to using the telephone or video conferencing platforms such as Zoom to connect with clients. Multiple subthemes emerged allowing for a better understanding of the transition to telerehabilitation during COVID-19. Barriers to offering telerehabilitation services included adequate access to technology (computer, laptop, tablet) and IT support for the client and sufficient internet bandwidth. Limited availability of validated virtual assessments made the transition difficult for practitioners. However, many benefits emerged such as easier scheduling of interdisciplinary meetings, increased client accountability, better access to group programming, and decreased travel times to clinics. CONCLUSIONS: Although there were challenges, especially surrounding technology, the switch to telerehabilitation had many benefits and could be a viable method of delivering care that goes beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. AUTHOR(S) DISCLOSURES: Authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.