School of Rehabilitation, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
Phys Occup Ther Pediatr. 2021;41(1):1-17. doi: 10.1080/01942638.2020.1825032. Epub 2020 Oct 6.
Telehealth is being rapidly adopted by physical and occupational therapists in pediatrics as a strategy to maintain services during the COVID-19 crisis. This perspective presents a mix of theoretical and practice perspectives to support the implementation of telehealth. Although research evidence is just emerging, there is sufficient indication to believe telehealth is effective. However, which telehealth strategies are best for which children and families, and which intervention goals, are not yet clear.
We discuss how different telehealth strategies (e.g. videoconferencing, emails, phone calls, online programs) are being used to address specific intervention goals. Comments from therapists using telehealth and examples of practices in different context and with different populations are provided. We discuss how newly adopted telehealth practices could be included in future hybrid service delivery models and programs, as well as factors influencing the decision to offer face-to-face or online interventions.
Although telehealth has been implemented quickly as a response to a health care crisis, and is not a one-size-fits-all intervention, we believe it offers great opportunities to increase the accessibility, cost-effectiveness and family-centredness of our services, to best support families of children with disabilities.
远程医疗正在被儿科物理治疗师和职业治疗师迅速采用，作为在 COVID-19 危机期间维持服务的策略。本观点从理论和实践两个角度提供支持，以帮助远程医疗的实施。尽管研究证据刚刚出现，但有足够的迹象表明远程医疗是有效的。然而，哪些远程医疗策略最适合哪些儿童和家庭，以及哪些干预目标尚不清楚。
我们讨论了不同的远程医疗策略（例如视频会议、电子邮件、电话、在线程序）如何用于解决特定的干预目标。提供了治疗师使用远程医疗的意见以及不同背景和不同人群中的实践示例。我们讨论了如何将新采用的远程医疗实践纳入未来的混合服务交付模式和计划中，以及影响提供面对面或在线干预的决策的因素。
虽然远程医疗作为对医疗保健危机的回应已经迅速实施，并且不是一种一刀切的干预措施，但我们相信它为增加我们服务的可及性、成本效益和以家庭为中心提供了巨大机会，以最好地支持残疾儿童的家庭。
