Assessing Physical Therapists' Expectations and Experiences With an Automated Rehabilitation System Using Technology...

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Wearable Sensor Technology
• Clinical Feedback Systems

Background:

• Wearable sensors offer enhanced visual and clinical feedback for physical therapists in rehabilitation medicine.
• Successful integration of technology in clinical care hinges on physical therapist adoption and acceptance.
• Interprofessional collaboration is vital for designing effective rehabilitation-assisted technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate physical therapists' expectations and experiences with a novel wearable system using the Technology Acceptance Model.
• To identify factors influencing the adoption of wearable technology in outpatient physical therapy settings.

Main Methods:

• A multiple methods pilot study employing comparative pre-post surveys and semistructured focus groups.
• Purposive sampling recruited outpatient physical therapists to pilot novel wearable technology.
• Data collection focused on therapist expectations, user experience, and system feedback.

Main Results:

• Pre-use surveys indicated favorable expectations for usefulness and ease of use, which decreased post-use.
• Perceived usefulness and ease of use scores significantly declined after technology adoption (P=.04).
• Focus groups revealed themes of system training, benefits, challenges, patient perception, and improvement suggestions, with a 53% decrease in expected frequency of use.

Conclusions:

• Physical therapists' expectations for new wearable technology were not met, as indicated by survey and focus group data.
• Engaging physical therapists in piloting and development is crucial for successful implementation of wearable devices in rehabilitation.
• This study underscores the need for user-centered design and adequate training to enhance technology acceptance in physical therapy.