Understanding Telerehabilitation Factors and Videoconference Usage in Physiotherapy: A Protocol for a Mixed-Methods...

The rapid evolution of healthcare technology introduced telerehabilitation (TR) as a novel intervention model. TR employs information and communication technologies for remote healthcare delivery. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a significant increase in TR usage, notably videoconferencing, among physiotherapists in Spain, offering a safe and viable alternative during mobility restrictions and temporary closure of physiotherapy centers. The aim of this study is to collect data on the use and frequency of outpatient TR and its intended purposes among physiotherapists from the pre-COVID-19 era to the present, as well as to examine the perspectives, facilitators, and barriers related to videoconferencing among physiotherapists, patients, and managers.

A convergent two-phase mixed-methods project was designed. The first phase employs a quantitative methodology to explore how the frequency and purpose of physiotherapist TR usage changed from before the pandemic until the present, where 90% works at private practice and 10% at public services, using a retrospective online survey. Second, we focus on understanding videoconference usage through qualitative methodologies, which include focus groups with patients and physiotherapists and semi-structured interviews with managers.

The expected results will be adoption and cessation of technology/ICT usage, changes in frequency and purpose of use; acceptance, satisfaction, and future expectations of videoconferencing by physiotherapists, patients, and managers.

This project can be used to investigate how different telemedicine technologies have progressed in a region over a period and why healthcare professionals, patients, and managers embrace these technologies. As a result of this research, it will be possible to improve the implementation of these technologies, as well as professional training and educational programs.