scholarly journals Editors' Note

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Jana Cason ◽  
Ellen R. Cohn
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Position Statement ◽  
World Federation ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Clinical Report ◽  
Master Of Science ◽  
Dysphagia Treatment

The spring 2014 issue of the International Journal of Telerehabilitation (IJT) contains four informative and timely policy articles: (1) an invited commentary describing the exploratory process underway within physical therapy to create licensure portability for physical therapists, (2) an analysis of state telehealth laws and regulations for occupational therapy and physical therapy, (3) an overview of telehealth evidence and key telehealth policy issues in occupational therapy, and (4) the World Federation of Occupational Therapists’ (WFOT) Position Statement on Telehealth. This issue also contains original research evaluating the feasibility of providing pediatric dysphagia treatment via telepractice, a clinical report of student learning outcomes associated with an innovative experiential learning assignment involving (international) teleconsultation in a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) curriculum, a book review, and announcements from the American Telemedicine Association.

scholarly journals Declaração de posição telessaúde/Position statement telehealth

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 416-421
Author(s):  
World Federation of Occupational Therapist - WFOT ◽  
Kátia Maki Omura ◽  
Gonçalo Carreteiro
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Position Statement ◽  
Legal Issues ◽  
World Federation ◽  
The World ◽  
Ethical And Legal Issues ◽  
Challenges And Strategies

O presente manuscrito trata-se de uma tradução do posicionamento da Federação Mundial de Terapeutas Ocupacionais (WFOT) sobre o atendimento em telessaúde, esclarecendo as definições, os seus desafios e estratégias, trazendo o esclarecimento sobre questões éticas e legais sobre a modalidade de atendimento não presencial, além de destacar a abordagem centrada no cliente como estratégia profissional. AbstractThe present manuscript is a translation of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) position statement on telehealth care, clarifying definitions, challenges and strategies, bringing clarification on ethical and legal issues regarding non- in person health care, in addition to highlighting the client-centered approach as a professional strategy.Key words: Telehealth; Occupational Therapy; Client-centredness in occupational therapy. ResumenEl presente manuscrito es una traducción de la declaración de posición de la Federación Mundial de Terapeutas Ocupacionales (WFOT, por sus siglas en inglés) sobre atención de telesalud, aclarando definiciones, desafíos y estrategias, brindando aclaraciones sobre cuestiones éticas y legales relacionadas con la atención de salud no en persona, además de destacar al cliente enfoque centrado como una estrategia profesional.Palabras clave: Telesalud; Terapia ocupacional; terapia ocupacional Centrado en el cliente.   

scholarly journals Increasing Rehabilitation Therapists’ Confidence Utilizing Evidence-Based Interventions: Pilot Study

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Hovick ◽  
Ingrid Provident
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Skilled Nursing Facility ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Nursing Facility ◽  
Skilled Nursing ◽  
Confidence Levels

Evidence-based practice enables rehabilitation therapists to provide the best quality of care and outcomes for patients. However, rehabilitation therapists are often not confident in using evidence in many settings. Purpose. The objective of this evidence-based practice project was to determine if educational small group sessions enhanced occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, and a speech and language pathologist’s confidence in utilizing and applying evidence. Method. Eleven rehabilitation therapists of multiple disciplines (occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, and a speech and language pathologist) from a skilled nursing facility participated in six educational sessions designed to increase evidence-based practice. A pre- and post-test utilizing the Evidence-Based Practice Profile Questionnaire (EBPPQ), measured change in therapists’confidence regarding evidence-based practice. Results. Results on the Evidence-Based Practice Profile Questionnaire concluded that 7 of 11 rehabilitation therapists reported an increase in confidence levels. Conclusion. Educational small group sessions can be an effective method to assist rehabilitation therapists in developing this confidence. KEYWORDS: Evidence-based practice, confidence levels, rehabilitation therapists, educational sessions, skilled nursing facility

scholarly journals An Analysis of State Telehealth Laws and Regulations for Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Calouro ◽  
Mei Wa Kwong ◽  
Mario Gutierrez
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
High Standard ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Potential Effect ◽  
State Laws ◽  
Do So ◽  
Laws And Regulations

This study conducted a scan of telehealth physical and occupational therapy state laws and regulations. The laws and regulations were analyzed to determine the potential effect they could have on physical therapists (PTs) and occupational therapists’ (OTs) utilization of telehealth. The results indicate that the majority of physical and occupational therapy boards are silent on telehealth. A handful of physical therapy laws and regulations address “consultation by means of telecommunication,” but do not provide any guidance for PTs or OTs seeking to provide direct telehealth-delivered services to patients.  Of the few states that do provide guidance, policy had the potential to provide clarity, or inhibit adoption. The findings suggest that as state boards look at crafting telehealth regulation, they should do so in a way that facilitates, rather than hampers adoption, while upholding their providers to a high standard of care.

scholarly journals World Federation of Occupational Therapists' Position Statement on Telehealth

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
World Federation Of Occupational Therapists
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Position Statement ◽  
Standards Of Care ◽  
World Federation ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Related Services ◽  
Local Health Care ◽  
Therapy Services

The purpose of this document is to state the World Federation of Occupational Therapists’ (WFOT) position on the use of telehealth for the delivery of occupational therapy services. Telehealth is the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to deliver health-related services when the provider and client are in different physical locations. Additional terms used to describe this service delivery model include: tele-occupational therapy, telerehabilitation, teletherapy, telecare, telemedicine, and telepractice, among other terms. Telehealth may be used by occupational therapy practitioners for evaluation, intervention, monitoring, supervision, and consultation (between remote therapist, client, and/or local health-care provider) as permitted by jurisdictional, institutional, and professional regulations and policies governing the practice of occupational therapy.Occupational therapy services via telehealth should be appropriate to the individuals, groups and cultures served,and contextualized to the occupations and interests of clients. Important considerations related to licensure/registration, collaboration with local occupational therapists, client selection, consent to treat, professional liability insurance, confidentiality, personal and cultural attributes, provider competence/standards of care, reimbursement/payer guidelines, and authentic occupational therapy practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Editors' Note

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Ellen R. Cohn ◽  
Jana Cason
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Position Statement ◽  
Facial Affect ◽  
World Federation ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Pubmed Central ◽  
Provider Perspectives ◽  
The World

The Spring 2015 issue of the International Journal of Telerehabilitation (IJT) contains original research that analyzes provider perspectives on the use of telepractice to serve the families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Two case studies examine the utility of administering Facial Affect Training through telepractice to individuals with chronic traumatic brain injury. An article in IJT’s policy section describes the process for the formulation of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) international telehealth position statement for occupational therapy.  The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) consists of 84 member organizations representing over 420,000 occupational therapists internationally (WFOT, 2014). The Spring 2015 issue also contains announcements of upcoming conferences.  As of May 2015, the International Journal of Telerehabilitation (IJT) is live on PubMed Central:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/2411/.  Articles from all past issues were indexed, as will be the current and future issues.

scholarly journals The Process for the Formulation of the International Telehealth Position Statement for Occupational Therapy

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Jacobs ◽  
Jana Cason ◽  
Ann McCullough
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Position Statement ◽  
World Federation ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Official Document ◽  
The Cost

The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) consists of 84 member organizations representing over 420,000 occupational therapists internationally (WFOT, 2014).  In 2014, WFOT published the WFOT Telehealth Position Statement on the use of telehealth in occupational therapy. The process for the formulation of the official document involved reviewing WFOT member organizations’ telehealth position statements and data collected from a survey sent to member organizations’ delegates in April 2014.  Qualitative data from 39 countries yielded factors to consider in five key areas:  licensure/registration requirements, the cost of technology, privacy and security, reimbursement/payment models, and other issues (e.g., need for collaboration/transfer of knowledge, client selection, provider competencies, standard of care).  The WFOT Telehealth Position Statement addressed each of these areas.  The collaborative effort resulting in the development of the WFOT Telehealth Position Statement serves as a model for other international organizations.

A Qualitative Study of Professional Issues in Home Health Therapy

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Shamus ◽  
Sarah Fabrizi ◽  
Jeffrey Hogan
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Home Health Care ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Home Health ◽  
Professional Issues ◽  
Snowball Sampling

Professional issues are experienced by physical and occupational therapists working in home health care. A grounded theory method was utilized with snowball sampling to interview 11 home health physical therapists and six occupational therapists working with a variety of populations in the home health setting. Major themes were identified separately for physical and occupational therapy using open, axial, and selective coding. The themes were then recoded for shared themes among the two professions. The major research questions included the following: What professional issues are encountered by therapists working in home health care? What type of benefits and barriers do therapists describe when providing home health services? Finally, how do professional issues compare between the different professions? The five major themes identified by physical therapists included work environment, work characteristics, communication, patient and family, and work-life balance. The themes identified by occupational therapists included the natural environment, the context of health care, client factors, and therapist factors. Common themes described by both physical and occupational therapy providers included the real-life environment of the home, the structure of home care, and autonomy of service provision. Results provide information about professional issues faced by therapists working in the home health care setting. There are a number of issues that are common to both professions, and others that appear to be discipline specific. These findings will guide professional efforts as the demands for professionals working in home care increase.

The Impact of Educational Level on Occupational and Physical Therapists' Perceptions of Professional Status

1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Lena Bellner
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Knowledge Base ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Medical Profession ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Professional Status ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Occupational And Physical Therapy ◽  
The Impact

This article is a descriptive study of 356 occupational therapists and 346 physical therapists in Sweden regarding their perceptions of professional status. These groups were compared according to educational level to determine whether the transfer of their education to a university level had made a difference in their perception of their own professional status and that of others. The status differences between the groups remained, and the structure of professional status seemed stable through time and not dependent on educational level. Professionals with a more positivistic knowledge base—physical therapists—tended to perceive increased professional status of themselves and of other team members, and professionals with a more humanistic knowledge base—occupational therapists—tended to perceive a decreased status. A plausible explanation might be that university schooling and certification reinforce a positivistic view, which is most prevalent in physical therapy. The ongoing process of professionalization within occupational and physical therapy might be more influenced by the medical profession than expected. Whether or not these findings apply to therapists in other countries is worth continued exploration through similar research investigations. As the therapy professions are becoming more global, information about educational and professional concerns of peers in different countries can provide increased insights into the professions.

Was a global pandemic needed to adopt the use of telehealth in occupational therapy?

Work ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Viktoria Hoel ◽  
Claudia von Zweck ◽  
Ritchard Ledgerd ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
World Federation ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Traditional Service ◽  
Facilitators And Barriers ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND: An analysis of data from an international survey was undertaken to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on telehealth practice in occupational therapy worldwide, in addition to facilitators and barriers in utilising this form of service delivery. METHOD: The global online survey was circulated in the occupational therapy community by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) between April and July 2020, collecting responses to closed-ended questions, in addition to free-text comments. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were used to assess relationships between respondent characteristics and the utilisation of telehealth. Thematic statement analysis provided further insight regarding factors impacting telehealth use. RESULTS: Findings revealed a significant increase in the use of telehealth strategies with the onset of the pandemic among survey respondents, with many reported benefits. Bivariate analyses indicated telehealth users were more likely to score higher feelings of safety and positive work morale, as well as perceive employer expectations to be reasonable. Restricted access to technology, limitations of remote practice, funding issues and slow pace of change were identified as barriers for some respondents for use of telehealth. Facilitators included availability of supportive policy, guidelines and strategies, in addition to education and training. CONCLUSION: This study advances the understanding of the current scope of occupational therapy telehealth practice in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Although results suggest long-term potential for telehealth use as an adjunct to traditional service provision, important considerations were identified regarding factors influencing integration of such strategies.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document