Adoption of Telehealth by Pediatric Physical Therapists During COVID-19: A Survey Study.
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ABSTRACT: Purpose
To describe the characteristics of pediatric physical therapy telehealth practice during COVID-19.Methods
An anonymous, online survey was distributed to pediatric physical therapists (PTs) in the United States who transitioned to telehealth during COVID-19.Results
Two hundred five respondents completed all quantitative questions. Ninety-six percent reported never providing telehealth previously and only 14.6% had formal training. More than 35% reported 76% to 100% of their caseload transitioned to telehealth. Most respondents perceived that telehealth was somewhat or very effective for caregivers (90.3%) and children (77.1%) and felt somewhat or very confident providing telehealth (73.2%). However, those practicing in school-based settings rated perceived effectiveness and confidence lower than PTs in other settings. Ultimately, 76.1% of respondents would consider providing telehealth in the future.Conclusion
The forced transition of pediatric PTs to the telehealth model during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in positive experiences for many, supporting wider adoption in the future.
SUBMITTER: Hall JB
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8478094 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Adoption of Telehealth by Pediatric Physical Therapists During COVID-19: A Survey Study.
Hall Jamie B JB Luechtefeld Jessica T JT Woods Morgan L ML
Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association 20211001 4
<h4>Purpose</h4>To describe the characteristics of pediatric physical therapy telehealth practice during COVID-19.<h4>Methods</h4>An anonymous, online survey was distributed to pediatric physical therapists (PTs) in the United States who transitioned to telehealth during COVID-19.<h4>Results</h4>Two hundred five respondents completed all quantitative questions. Ninety-six percent reported never providing telehealth previously and only 14.6% had formal training. More than 35% reported 76% to 100% ...[more]
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Project description:BackgroundDuring the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, ambulatory pediatric rheumatology healthcare rapidly transformed to a mainly telehealth model. However, pediatric patient and caregiver satisfaction with broadly deployed telehealth programs remains largely unknown. This study aimed to evaluate patient/caregiver satisfaction with telehealth and identify the factors associated with satisfaction in a generalizable sample of pediatric rheumatology patients.MethodsPatients with an initial telehealth video visit with a rheumatology provider between April and June 2020 were eligible. All patients/caregivers were sent a post-visit survey to assess a modified version of the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ) and demographic and clinical characteristics. TUQ total and sub-scale (usefulness, ease of use, effectiveness, satisfaction) scores were calculated and classified as "positive" based on responses of "agree" or "strongly agree" on a 5-point Likert scale. Results were analyzed using standard descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon signed rank testing. The association between demographic and clinical characteristics with TUQ scores was assessed using univariate linear regression.Results597 patients/caregivers met inclusion criteria, and the survey response rate was 42% (n = 248). Juvenile idiopathic arthritis was the most common diagnosis (33.5%). The majority of patients were diagnosed greater than 6 months previously (72.6%) and were prescribed chronic medications (59.7%). The median total TUQ score was 4 (IQR: 4-5) with positive responses in 81% of items. Of the subscales, usefulness scores were lowest (median: 4, p < 0.001). Telehealth saves time traveling was the highest median item score (median = 5, IQR: 4-5). Within subscales, items that scored significantly lower included convenience, providing for needs, seeing rheumatologist as well as in person, and being an acceptable way to receive rheumatology services (all p < 0.001). There were no significant demographic or clinical features associated with TUQ scores.ConclusionsOur results suggest telehealth is a promising mode of healthcare delivery for pediatric rheumatic diseases but also identifies opportunities for improvement. Innovation and research are needed to design a telehealth system that delivers high quality and safe care that improves healthcare outcomes. Since telehealth is a rapidly emerging form of pediatric rheumatology care, improved engagement and training of patients, caregivers, and providers may help improve the patient experience in the future.
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Project description:ObjectivesThis study sought to determine whether the increased use of telehealth was associated with a difference in outcomes for outpatients with heart failure.BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic led to dramatic changes in the delivery of outpatient care. It is unclear whether increased use of telehealth affected outcomes for outpatients with heart failure.MethodsIn March 2020, a large Midwestern health care system, encompassing 16 cardiology clinics, 16 emergency departments, and 12 hospitals, initiated a telehealth-based model for outpatient care in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic. A propensity-matched analysis was performed to compare outcomes between outpatients seen in-person in 2018 and 2019 and via telemedicine in 2020.ResultsAmong 8,263 unique patients with heart failure with 15,421 clinic visits seen from March 15 to June 15, telehealth was employed in 88.5% of 2020 visits but in none in 2018 or 2019. Despite the pandemic, more outpatients were seen in 2020 (n = 5,224) versus 2018 and 2019 (n = 5,099 per year). Using propensity matching, 4,541 telehealth visits in 2020 were compared with 4,541 in-person visits in 2018 and 2019, and groups were well matched. Mortality was similar for telehealth and in-person visits at both 30 days (0.8% vs 0.7%) and 90 days (2.9% vs 2.4%). Likewise, there was no excess in hospital encounters or need for intensive care with telehealth visits.ConclusionsA telehealth model for outpatients with heart failure allowed for distanced encounters without increases in subsequent acute care or mortality. As the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic abate, these data suggest that telehealth outpatient visits in patients with heart failure can be safely incorporated into clinical practice.
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Project description:BackgroundSocial distancing guidelines for COVID-19 have caused a rapid transition to telephone and video technologies for delivering treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs).ObjectiveThis study examined the adoption of these technologies across the SUD service continuum, acceptance of these technologies among service providers, and intent of providers to use these technologies after the pandemic. Additional analysis using the validated technology acceptance model (TAM) was performed to test the potential applications of these technologies after the pandemic. The study objectives were as follows: (1) to assess the use of telehealth (telephone and video technologies) for different SUD services during COVID-19 in May-June 2020, (2) to assess the intended applications of telehealth for SUD services beyond COVID-19, (3) to evaluate the perceived ease of use and value of telehealth for delivering SUD services, and (4) to assess organizational readiness for the sustained use of telehealth services.MethodsAn online survey on the use of telephonic and video services was distributed between May and August 2020 to measure the current use of these services, perceived organizational readiness to use these services, and the intent to use these services after COVID-19. In total, 8 of 10 regional Addiction Technology Transfer Centers representing 43 states distributed the survey. Individual organizations were the unit of analysis.ResultsIn total, 457 organizations responded to the survey. Overall, the technology was widely used; >70% (n>335) of organizations reported using telephone or video platforms for most services. The odds of the intent of organizations to use these technologies to deliver services post COVID-19 were significantly greater for all but two services (ie, telephonic residential counseling and buprenorphine therapy; mean odds ratio 3.79, range 1.87-6.98). Clinical users preferred video technologies to telephone technologies for virtually all services. Readiness to use telephone and video technologies was high across numerous factors, though telephonic services were considered more accessible. Consistent with the TAM, perceived usefulness and ease of use influenced the intent to use both telephone and video technologies.ConclusionsThe overall perceived ease of use and usefulness of telephonic and video services suggest promising post-COVID-19 applications of these services. Survey participants consistently preferred video services to telephonic services; however, the availability of telephonic services to those lacking easy access to video technology is an important characteristic of these services. Future studies should review the acceptance of telehealth services and their comparative impact on SUD care outcomes.
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Project description:Background Telehealth can improve access to evidence-based care at a lower cost for patients, especially those living in underserved and remote areas. The barriers to the widespread adoption of telehealth have been well documented in the literature. However, the barriers may not be the same for pediatric patients, who must rely on their parents or guardians to make healthcare decisions. This paper presents some of the leading barriers parents or guardians of pediatric patients report in using telehealth to meet their children’s healthcare needs. Methods This cross-sectional survey was conducted in a tertiary care pediatric Emergency Department (ED) at a children’s hospital in Alabama between September 2020 to December 2020. The parents or guardians of pediatric patients were asked about their reasons for not using telehealth despite having healthcare needs for their children, whether they canceled or rescheduled healthcare provider visits and facility visits, and whether the child’s health conditions changed over the past three months. Descriptive analyses were conducted that explored the distribution of telehealth use across the variables listed above. Results Five hundred ninety-seven parents or guardians of pediatric patients participated in the survey, and 578 answered the question of whether they used telehealth or not over the past three months. Of them, 33.1% used telehealth, 54.3% did not, and 12.6% did not have healthcare needs for their child. The leading reason for not using telehealth was that the doctor or health provider did not give them a telehealth option, the second main reason was that they did not know what telehealth is, and the third leading reason was that the parents did not think telehealth would help meet healthcare needs for their child. Conclusions This study highlights the telehealth utilization barriers among underserved pediatric populations, including the need for physicians to proactively offer telehealth options to parents or guardians of pediatric patients. Improving health literacy is of paramount importance, given that a substantial proportion of parents were not familiar with telehealth. Policymakers and healthcare organizations should raise awareness about the benefits of telehealth which can improve healthcare access for underserved pediatric patients. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-023-09732-w.
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Project description:PurposeThe emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led health care systems and providers worldwide to rapidly adopt telehealth solutions to minimize risk and comply with isolation mandates. This article explores telehealth utilization trends in North Carolina (NC) free and charitable clinics-an ambulatory health care delivery setting where traditional third-party reimbursement policies are not a primary consideration.MethodsWe surveyed NC free and charitable clinic administrators regarding clinic decisions to adopt an externally sponsored telehealth system, what services are provided by telehealth, clinic implementation processes, which populations used telehealth, how telehealth was incorporated into current clinic workflows, and perceptions of telehealth outcomes.FindingsTelehealth was rapidly adopted among free and charitable clinics after the COVID-19 outbreak. Reasons for implementing telehealth included the ability to continue providing services during a public health emergency and to increase access to patients. However, clinics report that telehealth utilization has dropped significantly since the initial pandemic surge. Patient and provider preferences for in-person services are a common reason cited for this drop. Free and charitable clinics report a strong interest in continuing to deliver services through telehealth. The majority reported continuing to offer telehealth services, but primarily as a supplement to in-person visits rather than as a replacement. They perceive that implementing telehealth has increased access to care but are less certain about the impact on cost of care and patient satisfaction. However, clinic administrators believe improvements in interoperability with other data systems, workflows, scheduling, and care delivery approaches are needed to achieve telehealth's fullest utilization.ConclusionTelehealth can play a significant role in expanding access to services in the free and charitable clinic setting. However, continued refinements in the technology to facilitate integration with other systems and workflow processes are needed to reach its full potential.
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Project description:Widespread transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has resulted in a global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that is straining medical resources worldwide. In the United States (US), hospitals and clinics are challenged to accommodate surging patient populations and care needs while preventing further infection spread. Under such conditions, meeting with patients via telehealth technology is a practical way to help maintain meaningful contact while mitigating SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The application of telehealth to nutrition care can, in turn, contribute to better outcomes and lower burdens on healthcare resources. To identify trends in telehealth nutrition care before and during the pandemic, we emailed a 20-question, qualitative, structured survey to approximately 200 registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) from hospitals and clinics that have participated in the Malnutrition Quality Improvement Initiative (MQii). RDN respondents reported increased use of telehealth-based care for nutritionally at-risk patients during the pandemic. They suggested that use of such telehealth nutrition programs supported positive patient outcomes, and some of their sites planned to continue the telehealth-based nutrition visits in post-pandemic care. Nutrition care by telehealth technology has the potential to improve care provided by practicing RDNs, such as by reducing no-show rates and increasing retention as well as improving health outcomes for patients. Therefore, we call on healthcare professionals and legislative leaders to implement policy and funding changes that will support improved access to nutrition care via telehealth.
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Project description:PurposeTo assess changes in outpatient clinic, inpatient consult, and operative volumes among pediatric otolaryngologists in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.Materials and methodsAn online questionnaire was distributed to 535 active members of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology from April 21, 2020, to May 4, 2020. The questionnaire assessed operative and clinical volumes during a two-week period between April 6, 2020, to April 20, 2020, while restrictions on elective surgery were in place, as compared to an average two-week period before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsBoth outpatient clinic and inpatient consult visit volume decreased significantly during the Covid-19 period. Academic practitioners typically reported seeing fewer outpatient visits than their private practice counterparts. Operative case volume decreased significantly across all procedures and surgeries common to pediatric otolaryngology. One-third of surveyed surgeons reported no operative cases during the assessed period.ConclusionsPediatric otolaryngologists reported a severe reduction in operative volume, in-office visits, and inpatient consults during a time period at the peak of the 2020 Covid-19 outbreak. Many respondents saw no patients, nor operated in any capacity. This time period could have lasting effects on practitioner finances and trainee education.
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