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Clinician expectations for portable electronic devices as cognitive-behavioural orthoses in traumatic brain injury
Tessa Hart1, Therese O'Neil-Pirozzi, Caron Morita
1Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19141, USA. thart@einstein.edu
Objective:
To ascertain experiences and expectations of clinicians as to uses of portable electronic devices such as hand-held computers as cognitive-behavioural orthoses in TBI rehabilitation.
Design:
Survey study.
Procedures:
A survey developed and piloted with the input of clinician focus groups was completed by 81 TBI clinicians from a variety of disciplines and work settings.
Results:
About half of the respondents reported prior exposure to clients with TBI who had used portable electronic aids. Of 10 key cognitive/behavioural areas, respondents saw most potential for devices in the areas of learning/memory, planning/organization and initiation; less potential was seen for social/interpersonal or behavioural difficulties. However, many respondents also identified learning and memory abilities as essential client characteristics for successful use of portable electronics. Cost was identified as a significant barrier to use of portable devices in rehabilitation. Respondents expressed low confidence overall in their ability to guide clients in use of devices; those who reported personal use were significantly more confident than those who did not.
Conclusion:
Clinicians believe that new electronic devices have potential for treatment of some cognitive impairments, but clinical experimentation may be limited by costs of technology and low clinician confidence.
