[Eva Hahn]

I was the PT for the stroke case and the patient for the ankle case. I did a gross telehealth evaluation for my patient who was having his first follow up visit after getting discharged from the hospital. It would have been better if there was someone with my patient to help perform more objective strength measures. It would have also been helpful if there was an extra person there to help keep the patient safe so I could assess functional mobility and gait. It would be helpful if the patient had a mobile device he was using to zoom with so I could better view the lower extremity. Lastly, a speech therapist would be a helpful addition to his care team due to his reported dysarthria.
https://odu.zoom.us/rec/share/i-7UWnhffMVa_kG5v9e-2Z82TBt650a71j6dWokKHYnflxaXQySGWqDpg5wKNmwy.5aqHtUMbekYU1JoA
Passcode: #rh4pDG4

Telehealth Etiquette:
1. 5
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Overall: 5 Good Job!

Telehealth Exam/Education
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Overall 9/9

[Eva Hahn]

1. The telehealth model I would use as a Physical Therapist would be videoconferencing. I have used this before in the outpatient setting and found it to be beneficial for a multitude of patients while also being able to perform a brief evaluation of their home to evaluate for falls risks and safety.
2. The type of equipment I would need to perform videoconferencing could include a reliable network connection with a laptop that is equipped with a webcam. It would also be important for the patient to have these things as well as any exercise equipment I might utilize during the visit. It might also be helpful if the patient has access to technology that could monitor their vitals including a home blood pressure cuff or heart rate monitor.
3. I have found that telehealth can be very beneficial for those patients who do not qualify for home health, but still have increased difficulty attending outpatient PT. For example, patients with chronic progressive diseases who are seeing PT in order to maximize their function might benefit more from a telehealth conference as they would be able to stay in the home while receiving personalized care that is specific to them and their circumstances. Home evaluations and modifications can be very important in these populations as they need to adapt with the progressive nature of their conditions.
4. My role in the program as a student physical therapist would to be evaluate and treat the patient while providing education about safety. I might also be responsible for setting up follow up appointments with the patient and talking them through any technical difficulties as PT clinics often do not have tech support on standby. With this in mind, it’s important that I am competent at operating whatever system the clinic is utilizing for their telehealth as well as knowledgeable about how to trouble shoot any problems we may encounter.
5. I would want to evaluate the effectiveness of the program, including ease of use for the patient and whether the patient believed the service was effective. It would also be important to evaluate patient outcomes to determine whether or not telehealth was as effective as a traditional setting might have been.
6. Legal considerations include the patient’s rights to privacy and HIPAA laws. It would be important that I was able to explain to the patient prior to the meeting how I would be complying with HIPAA laws as well as protecting their privacy. This would include assuring the patient that no video sessions would be recorded, as well as getting their consent prior to treatment to perform a telehealth visit.
7. Other professions that would be good to involve include athletic trainers, speech therapists, occupational therapists, nurses and mental health providers.
8. Protocols I would like to develop include those that ensure informed consent from the patient. Although in many states it’s only necessary to receive consent for telehealth services once per year, I think it would be beneficial to review the procedures and receive consent prior to each telehealth visit. Furthermore, It would be very important to have a protocol in place for emergencies, including awareness of emergency health services in the patient’s area to contact. Lastly, a protocol for feedback would be beneficial so that each of the therapists using the services would be collecting feedback the same way, ensuring uniformity and increased reliability to draw conclusions from.
9. I would acquire patient consent prior to the telehealth visit by having them sign a form via email, and making sure they understood how I would be protecting their PHI and what to expect for their telehealth appointment.

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