Overview of telehealth activities in speech-language pathology

It is estimated that 10% of the world's population, approximately 650 million people, have some form of disability. Population growth, aging, and medical advances that preserve and prolong life have increased demands for health and rehabilitation services. Recent predictions indicate a shortage of speech-language pathologists and other rehabilitation specialists to provide care for individuals with disabilities. The application of telemedicine and telehealth technologies offers effective solutions to this challenge. An extensive literature review was conducted that included technical reports, websites, publications from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and peer-reviewed journal articles of telehealth applications in speech-language pathology. Various applications of telehealth in speech-language pathology are described including types of technology, patient and clinician satisfaction, advantages of using telehealth, challenges and barriers to application, and future directions. This review provides a strong foundation for broader applications of telehealth technologies in this area of healthcare.