Telerehabilitation

What is telerehabilitation?

Broadly speaking, rehabilitation is a measure designed to enable patients to regain as many physical, social and occupational skills as possible. Rehabilitation follows medical treatment and ensures the long-term success of a medical intervention. Telerehabilitation refers to such a medical rehabilitation measure in which the patient does not have physical contact with the therapist, sometimes over long distances, through the use of modern telecommunication technology. The virtual connection between therapist and patient is established mostly via a video telephone call.

Indications for the use of telerehabilitation

Especially after orthopedic operations such as an artificial joint replacement, it is useful to apply this concept as with the right instructions the affected limb can also be effectively rehabilitated at home. But even rehabilitation following a hospital stay for a stroke or heart attack is not necessarily inferior to conventional rehabilitation, assuming that the patient is willing to participate in the rehabilitation process.

What are the advantages and limitations of telerehabilitation?

The limits of telerehabilitation correspond to those of telemedicine. Video calls target a maximum of two sensory systems, no more than sight and hearing. Excellent physicians however, make use of multiple senses at the same time when diagnosing and treating patients. This reduction in sensory signals during a video call makes it not only more difficult to learn exercises correctly, but can also interfere with purposeful communication between doctor and patient.

The advantages are primarily based on the fact that telerehabilitation can be provided from anywhere and across large distances. In the case of recorded videos, patients do not even need to schedule appointments. In certain cases, telerehabilitation may be the only way to reach the patient in a practical way. Telematic programs are applied more widely after a rehabilitation measure which the patient has completed in person. Patients can resume their physical exercises in at home and should they have any further questions, they can get in touch with the instructor of the rehabilitation center directly. This kind of low-threshold service can also increase compliance with therapy.

Perspectives and opportunities

Since 2020 the SARS-CoV2 pandemic has been a driving force behind all political initiatives to expand digital infrastructures and enable contactless communication between physicians and patients. There is no doubt that immunocompromised patients who avoid healthcare facilities out of fear of infection or immobile patients who struggle to visit a doctor's office will benefit the greatest from these innovations. Telerehabilitation can help secure the long-term success of treatment for those patients who for reasons of a handicap cannot or do not want to take part in rehabilitation programs in person.