A rapid review protocol of physiotherapy and occupational therapy telerehabilitation to inform ethical and equity concerns

Mirella Veras¹, Jennifer Sigouin¹, Claudine Auger¹, Louis-Pierre Auger², Sara Ahmed³, Zachary Boychuck², Sabrina Cavallo⁴, Martine Lévesque⁵, Stacey Lovo⁶, William C Miller⁷, Michelle Nelson⁸, Nahid Norouzi-Gheidari⁹, Jennifer O'Neil¹⁰, Kadija Perreault¹¹, Reg Urbanowski¹², Lisa Sheehy¹³, Hardeep Singh¹⁴, Claude Vincent¹¹, Rosali Wang¹⁴, Diana Zidarov¹⁵, Anne Hudon¹⁵, Dahlia Kairy¹⁵

Affiliations

¹ Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal métropolitain (CRIR), Montreal, Canada.
² School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
³ Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
⁴ Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, School of Rehabilitation Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
⁵ École de readaptation, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.
⁶ École de réadaptation, Université de Montréal, School of Rehabilitation Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
⁷ Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
⁸ Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health; University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
⁹ Clinical Research Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute/Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
¹⁰ École des sciences de la réadaptation, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada.
¹² College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
¹³ Bruyère Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
¹⁴ Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
¹⁵ Programme de physiothérapie, École de réadaptation, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.

PMID: 39229467
PMCID: PMC11369859
DOI: 10.1177/20552076241260367

Review

A rapid review protocol of physiotherapy and occupational therapy telerehabilitation to inform ethical and equity concerns

Mirella Veras et al. Digit Health. 2024.

. 2024 Jul 21:10:20552076241260367.

doi: 10.1177/20552076241260367. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal métropolitain (CRIR), Montreal, Canada.
² School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
³ Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
⁴ Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, School of Rehabilitation Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
⁵ École de readaptation, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.
⁶ École de réadaptation, Université de Montréal, School of Rehabilitation Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
⁷ Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
⁸ Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health; University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
⁹ Clinical Research Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute/Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
¹⁰ École des sciences de la réadaptation, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada.
¹² College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
¹³ Bruyère Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
¹⁴ Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
¹⁵ Programme de physiothérapie, École de réadaptation, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.

PMID: 39229467
PMCID: PMC11369859
DOI: 10.1177/20552076241260367

Abstract

Background: Telerehabilitation (TR) has emerged as a feasible and promising approach for delivering rehabilitation services remotely, utilizing technology to bridge the gap between healthcare providers and patients. As new modalities of virtual care and health technologies continue to emerge, it is crucial to stay informed about the growing landscape of virtual care to ensure that telehealth service delivery is ethical and equitable, and improves the quality of services and patient outcomes.

Objective: The primary objective of this article is to present the protocol of a rapid review to examine the equity-related aspects surrounding the implementation of TR. This includes a comprehensive analysis of the ethical dimensions and fairness concerns linked to this practice.

Methods: A rapid review protocol was developed in accordance with Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Guidance. Medline and EMBASE databases were searched between January 2010 and March 2023. Study selection and data extraction will be conducted in two phases (Phase I) by two independent reviewers and subsequently (Phase II) by a single reviewer. Our study will utilize the PROGRESS-Plus and Equitable virtual rehabilitation in the metaverse era framework to identify dimensions where potential inequities may exist within TR interventions.

Results: This rapid review is anticipated to enhance our knowledge of TR in the fields of physiotherapy and occupational therapy, with a specific focus on its influence on ethical and equitable practices and providing a foundation for informed decision-making and improved patient care.

Conclusion: This rapid review will contribute to the advancement of our understanding of TR within physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Through synthesizing existing evidence, this study not only addresses current gaps in knowledge but also offers valuable insights for future research and clinical practice in TR services.

Keywords: Telerehabilitation; digital health; equity; ethics; occupational therapy; physiotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

References

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A rapid review protocol of physiotherapy and occupational therapy telerehabilitation to inform ethical and equity concerns

Affiliations

A rapid review protocol of physiotherapy and occupational therapy telerehabilitation to inform ethical and equity concerns

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

References

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Research Materials

Miscellaneous