Differences in teletherapy and telecare?—Experiences of health professionals and patients with video communication in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy

Introduction The spread and implementation of digital synchronous video communication in telecare and teletherapy has recently increased significantly, not just because of COVID-19 but also due to a global trend towards more digital healthcare services in the last two decades. This shift prompts the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Norbert Lichtenauer, Felix Schlachetzki, Inge Eberl, Annette Meussling-Sentpali
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2024-12-01
Series:Digital Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241301963
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846140329159294976
author Norbert Lichtenauer
Felix Schlachetzki
Inge Eberl
Annette Meussling-Sentpali
author_facet Norbert Lichtenauer
Felix Schlachetzki
Inge Eberl
Annette Meussling-Sentpali
author_sort Norbert Lichtenauer
collection DOAJ
description Introduction The spread and implementation of digital synchronous video communication in telecare and teletherapy has recently increased significantly, not just because of COVID-19 but also due to a global trend towards more digital healthcare services in the last two decades. This shift prompts the question of how digital telesetting differs from a face-to-face setting and which aspects are fundamental. Methods As the first part of a mixed-method study, qualitative interviews ( n  = 20) were conducted from July 2021 to January 2022. Health professionals ( n  = 13) and patients ( n  = 7) from occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, and nursing were interviewed. All interviewees came from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The results were categorized using structured content analysis. Results Six main categories and 20 sub-categories were summarized, which can act as barriers or resources in a telesetting. Both sides described a high level of acceptance and approval of telesetting. Motivation and digital skills were of great importance. Furthermore, special features in communication and interaction were described, as well as changes in organizational procedures and a specific process flow in telesetting. Including relatives was more feasible, although several environmental factors should be considered. Discussion A number of specific changes in a telesetting compared to a face-to-face setting show the need for a structured guide for interested parties. Appropriate basic principles must be taught in training and further education to support the spread of this new form of care. Furthermore, it is crucial to adapt the methodological and content-related aspects of telesetting and develop new approaches that specifically integrate audio-visual possibilities.
format Article
id doaj-art-2673b04f52d8453ba76812d090b6b882
institution Kabale University
issn 2055-2076
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series Digital Health
spelling doaj-art-2673b04f52d8453ba76812d090b6b8822024-12-05T13:03:26ZengSAGE PublishingDigital Health2055-20762024-12-011010.1177/20552076241301963Differences in teletherapy and telecare?—Experiences of health professionals and patients with video communication in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapyNorbert Lichtenauer0Felix Schlachetzki1Inge Eberl2Annette Meussling-Sentpali3 , Faculty of Health and Social Sciences; Nursing Science, Germany Department of Neurology, TEMPiS Telestroke Center, Medbo Bezirksklinikum, Catholic University of Eichstätt - Ingolstadt, , Faculty of Health and Social Sciences; Nursing Science, GermanyIntroduction The spread and implementation of digital synchronous video communication in telecare and teletherapy has recently increased significantly, not just because of COVID-19 but also due to a global trend towards more digital healthcare services in the last two decades. This shift prompts the question of how digital telesetting differs from a face-to-face setting and which aspects are fundamental. Methods As the first part of a mixed-method study, qualitative interviews ( n  = 20) were conducted from July 2021 to January 2022. Health professionals ( n  = 13) and patients ( n  = 7) from occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, and nursing were interviewed. All interviewees came from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The results were categorized using structured content analysis. Results Six main categories and 20 sub-categories were summarized, which can act as barriers or resources in a telesetting. Both sides described a high level of acceptance and approval of telesetting. Motivation and digital skills were of great importance. Furthermore, special features in communication and interaction were described, as well as changes in organizational procedures and a specific process flow in telesetting. Including relatives was more feasible, although several environmental factors should be considered. Discussion A number of specific changes in a telesetting compared to a face-to-face setting show the need for a structured guide for interested parties. Appropriate basic principles must be taught in training and further education to support the spread of this new form of care. Furthermore, it is crucial to adapt the methodological and content-related aspects of telesetting and develop new approaches that specifically integrate audio-visual possibilities.https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241301963
spellingShingle Norbert Lichtenauer
Felix Schlachetzki
Inge Eberl
Annette Meussling-Sentpali
Differences in teletherapy and telecare?—Experiences of health professionals and patients with video communication in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy
Digital Health
title Differences in teletherapy and telecare?—Experiences of health professionals and patients with video communication in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy
title_full Differences in teletherapy and telecare?—Experiences of health professionals and patients with video communication in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy
title_fullStr Differences in teletherapy and telecare?—Experiences of health professionals and patients with video communication in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy
title_full_unstemmed Differences in teletherapy and telecare?—Experiences of health professionals and patients with video communication in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy
title_short Differences in teletherapy and telecare?—Experiences of health professionals and patients with video communication in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy
title_sort differences in teletherapy and telecare experiences of health professionals and patients with video communication in nursing physiotherapy occupational therapy and speech therapy
url https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241301963
work_keys_str_mv AT norbertlichtenauer differencesinteletherapyandtelecareexperiencesofhealthprofessionalsandpatientswithvideocommunicationinnursingphysiotherapyoccupationaltherapyandspeechtherapy
AT felixschlachetzki differencesinteletherapyandtelecareexperiencesofhealthprofessionalsandpatientswithvideocommunicationinnursingphysiotherapyoccupationaltherapyandspeechtherapy
AT ingeeberl differencesinteletherapyandtelecareexperiencesofhealthprofessionalsandpatientswithvideocommunicationinnursingphysiotherapyoccupationaltherapyandspeechtherapy
AT annettemeusslingsentpali differencesinteletherapyandtelecareexperiencesofhealthprofessionalsandpatientswithvideocommunicationinnursingphysiotherapyoccupationaltherapyandspeechtherapy