Although the emergence of Telehealth has been the result of uncertain circumstances related to a global pandemic, Telehealth has actually removed a lot of barriers to care and has given many patients and clients greater access to all kinds of therapy!
Apart from the obviously fluctuating nuances of the pandemic (stay-at-home orders, quarantines, etc), simply think about the improved accessibility for rural populations and people with impaired mobility! Additionally, busy schedules and the juggling of “all the things” make a Telehealth appointment a convenient and time-efficient option.
I will be the first to admit that, as a provider, as a very hands-on physical therapist, I was skeptical as to the benefits of Telehealth. What could I actually accomplish in a video session with a patient?
Over the course of the last few months, I have seen the success and value of Telehealth over and over again as a provider, and have even experienced it as a patient myself.
I watched as my team fully embraced the remote sessions.
Three very important elements stood out to me.
Communication.
Creativity.
Reality.
Communication.
The intimate level of communication was not lost as Telehealth still offered one-on-one time focused directly on the patient.
Creativity.
As PT’s, we were able to pull out all stops in front of the camera to progress exercise programs and show patients how to properly perform various movements.
Reality.
We saw and were able to correct critical things associated with a patient’s pain as we were able to watch them move in their own home doing routine and habitual things (ie carrying their baby). This was an unexpected benefit of Telehealth - getting to see our patients in their environment.
Of course, some things that we do as physical therapists are more difficult to adapt to a digital format than others. Manual therapy being the big one. However, we have so much to offer our patients in addition to hands-on treatment, and if Telehealth is the difference between a patient not getting therapy and getting therapy, then we will do everything we can to use this platform to get people better.