It’s March 23, 2020 and the USA and many parts of the world are under “stay at home” restrictions in an attempt to squelch the fast pace spread of the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) from human to human.
If you were receiving physical therapy services (or you now need them) you may be wondering if and how you can continue under these circumstances?
What is telehealth physical therapy? – Physical therapists using the telemedicine model use a video enabled online program such as Skype or Zoom or Facetime to consult and monitor a patient’s treatment sessions and progress virtually.
“Applications of telehealth in physical therapy already have roots that expand throughout patient/client care and consultation, as it allows PTs to better communicate with patients/clients and provide more flexible care. Telehealth will not replace traditional clinical care. However, it will give PTs and PTAs the flexibility to provide services in a greater capacity.” – apta.org
Can Physical Therapy Be Done Virtually?
Virtual therapy cannot be substituted for the initial consultation and assessment but it can certainly work very well for ongoing sessions to monitor the progress or any problems the patient may have and to make changes (if needed) to the treatment or exercise program that was initially provided to the patient.
A study conducted in 2016 found that “…50 million U.S. consumers would switch providers to one that offers telehealth.” – chironhealth.com
The Multiple Benefits Of Virtual Physical Therapy Sessions
Physical therapists have been using virtual sessions for the past few years successfully but in today’s environment it’s obviously become more popular.
The list of benefits of this type of therapy include:
1) These days the greatest benefit of virtual physical therapy sessions is that you are not exposing yourself (or your family) to Covid-19 or other possible illnesses.
2) Many physical therapists deal with patients who cancel or simply miss their scheduled appointments and that can be reduced with virtual therapy sessions.
For some patients, it’s simply too difficult to get out TO the therapy clinic so being able to get your treatment in your own home virtually is of great benefit.
3) For parents who have children under the age of 18 years – telehealth physical therapy can be a great money and time saver.
If the parents are the ones needing physical therapy – there’s no need to get someone to watch the children or to take the time to get to the clinic.
If the children are receiving physical therapy – it can be much easier to get that therapy in your own home, virtually, without bringing your child(ren) into the clinic.
4) For patients who are living with chronic health conditions – exposure to airborne viruses can cause great complications (and fatalities) so having the ability to continue with their physical therapy virtually can be of great benefit.
5) For caregivers who cannot leave the home for periods of time – having virtual sessions can make life so much easier.
“Telemedicine eliminates transportation issues, safety risks such as falls, and missed work time for the caregiver. It also makes it easier for caregivers to maintain their own health by seeing their providers when needed without having to make other care arrangements. ” – chironhealth.com
6) For physical therapists – the ability to continue seeing their patients is a great bonus, especially since the likelihood of cancellations through virtual therapy is less.
Also, in times like these when health care providers must also distance themselves as much as possible from others – it’s a great benefit to those health care providers (and their families) if they can continue their work virtually.
Here, at ABove Physical Therapy we want to continue providing services to our patients and we encourage you to use our telehealth physical therapy / virtual physical therapy services.
If you have questions or want to schedule a session call us at 770-904-2332.
