Rowe Michael, Sauls Berenice
Department of Physiotherapy, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.
S Afr J Physiother. 2020 Apr 20;76(1):1327. doi: 10.4102/sajp.v76i1.1327. eCollection 2020.
There is anecdotal evidence that physiotherapy clinicians increasingly are using medical apps and health-related apps as part of their clinical practice, and in some cases, even 'prescribing apps' to patients. However, there is limited information on how South African physiotherapists use, and what they think about, the integration of mobile apps in their practice.
This study aimed to describe the use of smartphone apps as part of clinical practice in a small group of South African physiotherapists.
This study made use of a cross-sectional, descriptive design and a self-administered questionnaire to survey practitioners. The population included all 1300 physiotherapists who were registered with the Orthopaedic Manipulative Physiotherapists Group (OMPTG) of the special interest group of the South African Society of Physiotherapists (SASP), with a sample of 270 out of 1300 who responded (response rate = 21%). Descriptive data are presented using graphs, figures and percentages, and responses to open-ended questions are included in support of the themes.
The majority of the participants used apps as part of their practice (60%) but did not prescribe apps to patients. Most apps are used for administrative and communication purposes. Even clinicians who used apps themselves expressed concerns about prescribing them to patients, and there were clear misconceptions about the use of apps.
Many clinicians in this study reported that there were real benefits to the use of smartphone apps as part of their practice. However, they raised concerns about the more general prescription of apps for clients.
Further research, education and collaboration amongst all stakeholders is necessary to produce guidelines for the use of apps in clinical practice.
有传闻证据表明，物理治疗临床医生越来越多地将医疗应用程序和健康相关应用程序作为其临床实践的一部分，在某些情况下，甚至会向患者“推荐应用程序”。然而，关于南非物理治疗师如何使用移动应用程序以及他们对将其整合到实践中的看法，相关信息有限。
本研究旨在描述一小部分南非物理治疗师将智能手机应用程序作为临床实践一部分的使用情况。
本研究采用横断面描述性设计，并使用自填式问卷对从业者进行调查。研究对象包括在南非物理治疗师协会（SASP）特殊兴趣小组的骨科手法物理治疗师组（OMPTG）注册的所有1300名物理治疗师，在1300名中抽取270名作为样本进行回复（回复率 = 21%）。描述性数据通过图表和百分比呈现，对开放式问题的回答也纳入其中以支持相关主题。
大多数参与者将应用程序作为其实践的一部分使用（60%），但不会向患者推荐应用程序。大多数应用程序用于行政和沟通目的。即使是自己使用应用程序的临床医生也对向患者推荐应用程序表示担忧，并且对应用程序的使用存在明显误解。
本研究中的许多临床医生报告称，将智能手机应用程序作为实践的一部分使用有实际益处。然而，他们对更普遍地为客户推荐应用程序表示担忧。
所有利益相关者之间需要进一步开展研究、教育和合作，以制定临床实践中应用程序使用的指南。
