Veteran and Provider Satisfaction of a Home-Based Telerehabilitation Assessment for Wheelchair Seating and Mobility
Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: Veterans living in remote areas often experience limited access to healthcare services due to a lack of specialized healthcare professionals and facilities. As a result, Veterans may delay necessary treatment or have to travel long distances to receive the appropriate medical services. Telerehabilitation helps to improve access to care by providing an effective and convenient way for Veterans to receive care remotely. The objective of this project was to measure Veteran and provider satisfaction with a home-based telerehabilitation assessment for wheelchair seating and mobility. Veterans who were in need of a wheelchair seating and mobility evaluation were screened, and initial telerehabilitation assessments were conducted for 43 Veterans. Follow-up telerehabilitation assessments were conducted for 9 Veterans. Each telerehabilitation assessment used a VA videoconferencing system to connect Veterans, at their place of residence, with a provider, located at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System Wheelchair, Seating, and Power Mobility Clinic. Veteran and provider satisfaction was collected after each telerehabilitation assessment using the Telerehabilitation Questionnaire. The results revealed that all mean scores for Veterans and providers at the initial telerehabilitation assessment were significantly higher than the scale midpoint of 3.5, demonstrating high satisfaction with the telerehabilitation encounter. However, Veterans and providers showed statistically significant differences in satisfaction scores for five items on the Telerehabilitation Questionnaire. Providers, in general, showed greater variability in scores pertaining to the technology and quality and clarity of the video and audio. Both Veterans and providers agreed upon the monetary benefit of using telerehabilitation and were willing to use those services again. Overall, the results of this project suggest high satisfaction with conducting wheelchair seating and mobility assessments via telerehabilitation.
Author: Kaila Grenier
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2898634344