As earlier described in the article “REBALANCE is on the way!”  total of 85 professionals (app. 70% women) from six different countries responded the survey. Other background information are available in the same article.

From the respondents, 81% (n=69) did not have any  pre-pandemic experience of digital practice, telehealth or telemedicine. Three quarters (n=57) answered not having any education or training for digital practice since the pandemic, 25% (n=19) who had it stated mostly having had informal peer training or technical training for the apps used. Almost half of the respondents (n=39) stated that the support for the digital practice was not sufficient enough, approximately 20% had enough support and mostly from colleagues. Almost 70% (n=59) felt that they need more education in applying digital practice in the future. Majority of the respondents, 80%, stated that they were using more than one single technology or method for the digital practice including video communication  and/or online communication. Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality  or both of them was reported to be used by roughly 50% of respondents (n=27).

Of all the respondents, 42% (n=36), reported to had total of 0-5 digital online practice sessions since COVID-19 outbreak, 23% had (n=19) from five to ten session and 35% (n=29) over ten sessions. Majority of the sessions, approximately 70%, lasted 45-60minutes (Fig1.)

Most common barriers identified by respondents in using technology with clients were lack of being physically present, learning to use technology, hybrid model where F2F and virtual presence needed to combined, lack of educational material, lack of necessary technology for the clients and work-from-home arrangements. In addition, the most frequent facilitators in helping to improve the use of technology which were identified were best surroundings concerning technical requirements, work-from-home arrangements and scheduling.

Roughly 10% (n=9) respondents stated that client faced additional expenses resulting limitations, that excluded them in receiving or partaking in digital therapy and 30% (n=26) informed that possible additional costs did not effect receiving or partaking digital therapy. Note, 60% (n=53) of respondent did not know this for sure. Top benefits in digital practice seen by respondents were time-efficiency, comfort for the patients, cost-effectiveness and innovativeness. The challenges in digital practice stated by respondents were digital skills of patients, digital skills of other professionals, high price of technology used, unreliable web-content and other resources and excessive use of random applications.

Of all the clients described respondents, approximately 48% were 30 years old or younger, 37% were over 30 years old but not over 50 years old and remaining 15% were over 50 years old (Fig2.). Respondents reported their clients to have variety of conditions and also types of sessions. (Table1).

Conditions and types of sessions

Clients/patients conditions

• Neurological disorders (Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Stroke), 
• Musculoskeletal conditions, variety, 
• Diabetes, 
• Obesity, 
• Professional athletics, 
• Pediatrics, 
• Geriatrics, 
• Pain

Types of sessions 

• Physiotherapy, 
• Physical activity guidance, 
• Sports advice, training, 
• Health promotion, physical activity, 
• Gymnastics training

With the clients, half of the respondents described to have briefed and practiced the use of technology with patient before actual sessions, other half of the respondents did not. In encouraging and maintain the dialogue and adherence during the digital practice, respondents of the survey reported using different means of feedback (e.g., activity calendars, by giving homework, verbal endorsement and by goal setting). Most of the respondents, almost 75% (n=62) reported to be satisfied to their digital practice sessions (Fig3.).

The respondent assessed their clients to be mostly (80%) satisfied with the digital sessions, roughly 30% of respondents stated that they had not asked the feedback from the clients.

When addresses the data and security management in the survey, only 20% of respondents (n=18) stated that national guideline for it  was available. Some platforms were nationally reported to be used for data capture: Acute, Mediatri, Diarium, Lifecare, Obero , Woof and hospital-specific software.

Authored by: 

Esa Bärlund, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, Turku University of Applied Sciences 

Satu Takala, Health and well-being -Lecturer in Physiotherapy ,  Turku University of Applied Sciences