Transition to a virtual model of physiotherapy and exercise physiology in response to COVID-19 for people in a rural Australia: Is it a viable solution to increase access to allied health for rural populations?

ABSTRACT: Virtual healthcare has the potential to increase access to allied health for people living in rural areas, but challenges in delivery of such models have been reported. The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for a rural practice of physiotherapists and exercise physiologists to transition service delivery to a virtual model of care which utilised a combination of phone, video, an exercise app and/or paper handouts. This study aimed to evaluate the uptake and outcomes from virtual delivery of allied health services, and to describe patient and clinician experiences of the virtual model of care. A parallel convergent mixed methods study was conducted. De-identified data from patients who were offered the virtual service between 15 March 2020 and 30 September 2020 were extracted from t

SUBMITTER: Paul SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9858084 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature