A study has been launched to explore and evaluate the value of providing remote physiotherapy consultations while there remains a high risk of contracting the coronavirus.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) has collaborated with the University of Manchester so that researchers can study and understand the delivery of remote physiotherapy consultations and rehabilitation in a diverse range of settings.
These remote consultations proved to be highly popular during the lockdown when face-to-face consultations would have been out of the question and exceptionally risky.
The CSP is hoping that the findings of the study will help provide guidance on which methods and technologies used in remote consultations are the most successful in varied contexts, as well as recommendations for the implementation of the service, as well as sharing best-practice methods.
Dr Helen Hawley-Hague is a National Institute of Health Research research fellow within the university’s School of Health Sciences and will lead the project.
“We will undertake a mixed-methods real-world evaluation of the use of remote physiotherapy consultation and rehabilitation across the UK, which will enable us to use different methodologies to collect a range of different data,” she said.
The study will commence in July, beginning with a review of all the currently existing evidence, and then in autumn, several case studies will be developed using the experiences of patients and physiotherapists, how the technology is used, and how easily accessible it is, as well as the costs attributed to the service, and the benefits and challenges of remote consultations.
The study is expected to conclude in June 2021.
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