Telehealth for complex wheelchair assessment: A scoping review protocol of implementation in low-resource settings

Access to specialist wheelchair assessment services remains limited globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where geographical barriers and limited specialist availability create challenges for users with complex needs. While telehealth approaches offer potential access solutions, existing evidence on telehealth wheelchair assessment predates recent technological advancements and the accelerated adoption following COVID-19.

This proposed study aims to map and synthesise current evidence on telehealth wheelchair assessment practices, including their description, implementation, effectiveness, and stakeholder experiences, with particular focus on implementation considerations relevant to low-resource settings.

This protocol outlines the planned methods for a scoping review following JBI methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and grey literature will be searched for studies published in English or French from 2015-2025. The review will include studies involving any stakeholders participating in telehealth wheelchair seating assessments across any healthcare setting globally, with specific attention to LMICs. Studies will be excluded if they focus solely on technology development without wheelchair assessment application, remote wheelchair control without assessment components, or general telehealth applications not specific to wheelchair assessment. Two independent reviewers will conduct study selection, data extraction using a standardised tool, and thematic analysis. Results will be presented through narrative synthesis with descriptive tables and thematic organisation.

This review will map the scope and nature of current evidence on telehealth wheelchair assessment, identifying research gaps and areas requiring further investigation. Findings will provide insights into current practices, implementation approaches, and stakeholder perspectives to inform research priorities and guide the development of evidence-based telehealth wheelchair services in low-resource settings.

The protocol has been registered prospectively on Open Science Framework (OSF): https://osf.io/7ecq6.