COVID-19 accelerated the implementation of virtual working at pace, which carries the risk of missed opportunities for shared learning across organisations and services. This study therefore investigated the experiences of ‘virtual working’ among occupational therapy (OT) staff and students in Wales. The objectives were to establish the meaning of virtual working for occupational therapists (OTs), identify the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the technologies used to support virtual working and explore the specific contextual factors that impact on service delivery.
Method:
An online questionnaire was completed by 191 registered and unregistered OT staff and students working in Wales, and 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted in a convergent mixed methods design.
Results and Findings:
The questionnaire data confirmed that the use of virtual working has increased and impacts all areas of service delivery. The semi-structured interviews identified three themes: the art of OT, keeping doors open and looking forward.
Conclusion:
Virtual working can improve access to services, but one size does not fit all and its use in person centred care should be carefully considered. Virtual working should not compromise high quality service provision and the risks of virtual working to staff’s mental and physical health needs to be considered.
Abbott-GaffneyCRGafni-LachterLCasonJ, et al. (2022) Toward successful future use of telehealth in occupational therapy practice: What the COVID-19 rapid shift revealed. Work71: 385–394.
2.
BaylyJBradshawAFettesL, et al. (2022) Understanding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on delivery of rehabilitation in specialist palliative care services: An analysis of the CovPall-Rehab survey data. Palliative Medicine36: 319–331.
3.
BengtssonM (2016) How to plan and perform a qualitative study using content analysis. NursingPlus Open2: 8–14.
4.
BraunVClarkeV (2022) Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide. London: Sage.
5.
CampbellJTheodorosDHartleyN, et al. (2019) Implementation factors are neglected in research investigating telehealth delivery of allied health services to rural children: A scoping review. Journal of Telemedicine and Telehealth26: 590–606.
6.
CarringtonMIslam MdS (2022) The use of telehealth to perform occupational therapy home assessments: An integrative literature review. Occupational Therapy in Health Care37: 648–663.
CottrellMRussellT (2020) Telehealth for musculoskeletal physiotherapy. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice48: 102193.
9.
Department for Health & Social Care (2022) A plan for digital health and social care. Available at: https://www.gov.uk (accessed 19 January 2023).
10.
DingJYangYWuX, et al. (2023) The telehealth program of occupational therapy among older people: An up-to-date scoping review. Aging Clinical & Experimental Research35: 23–40.
11.
Domínguez-LucioSCompañ-GabucioLMTorres-ColladoL, et al. (2022) Occupational therapy interventions using new technologies in children and adolescents with Autism spectrum disorder: A scoping review. Journal of Autism and Development Disorder53: 332–358.
12.
FeldhackerDJewellVJungS, et al. (2022) Telehealth interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice: A systematic review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy76: 7606205090.
13.
FergusonJCraigEADounaviK (2019) Telehealth as a model for providing behaviour analytic interventions to individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Journal of Autism and Development Disorder49: 582–616.
14.
FerrariSMLPywellSMBorges da CostaAL, et al. (2022) Occupational Therapy telehealth groups in Covid-19 pandemic: Perspectives from a mental health day hospital. Brazilian Journal of Occupational Therapy30: e3019.
Hadley-BarrowsTHarrisonTSedgwickK, et al. (2022) Embracing digital technology in response to Covid-19: A patient satisfaction service evaluation. Physiotherapy114: e6.
17.
HewittSSephtonRYeowellG (2020) The effectiveness of digital health interventions in the management of musculoskeletal conditions: Systematic literature review. Journal of Medical Internet Research22: e15617.
18.
HoelVVon ZweckCLedgerdR; World Federation of Occupational Therapists (2021) The impact of Covid-19 for occupational therapy: Findings and recommendations of a global survey. World Federation of Occupational Therapists Bulletin77: 69–76.
19.
HoffmanDA (2020) Increasing access to care: telehealth during COVID-19. Journal of Law and the Biosciences7: lsaa043.
20.
InghamLJacksonEPurcellC (2022). Learning from adversity: Occupational therapy staff experiences of coping during Covid-19. British Journal of Occupational Therapy85: 577–584.
21.
JonesNLReadJFieldB, et al. (2022) Remote home visits: Exploring the concept and applications of remote home visits within health and social care settings. British Journal of Occupational Therapy85: 50–61.
22.
LanfranchiVJonesNReadJ, et al. (2022) User attitudes towards virtual home assessment technologies. Journal of Medical Engineering & Technology46: 536–546.
23.
LeoneEEddisonNHealyA, et al. (2022) Do UK Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) have sufficient guidelines and training to provide telehealth patient consultations?Human Resources for Health20: 82.
24.
McGoldrickK (2020) Ipads and Zoom for virtual visiting. Occupational Therapy News28: 32–34.
25.
MoonKBlackmanD (2014) A guide to understanding social science research for natural scientists. Conservation Biology28: 1167–1177.
26.
OnoratoSJoshiASchwartzAW (2021) Lights, camera, action: Optimizing virtual video visits to provide high-quality care. Journal of General Internal Medicine36: 1751–1754.
27.
Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) (2019) Learning and Development Standards for Pre-registration Education. London: Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
28.
Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) (2021) Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ Data Innovation Strategy 2021 – 2023. London: Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
ReadJJonesNFeganC, et al. (2020) Remote Home Visit: Exploring the feasibility, acceptability and potential benefits of using digital technology to undertake occupational therapy home assessments. British Journal of Occupational Therapy83: 648–658.
31.
RendaMLapeJE (2018) Feasibility and acceptability of telehealth Occupational Therapy home modification interventions. International Journal of Telerehabilitation10: 3–14.
32.
SafdariRGholamzadehMRezayiS, et al. (2021) Telehealth and telemedicine in response to critical Coronavirus: A systematic review. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal23: e1150.
33.
SarakH (2020) Telerehabilitation services: A successful paradigm for occupational therapy clinical services?International Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Journal5: 93–98.
34.
SheatsleyPB (1983) Questionnaire construction and item writing. In: RossiPHWrightJDAndersonAB (eds) Handbook of Survey Research. Cambridge: Academic Press, pp.195–230.
35.
ShihTFanX (2009) Comparing response rates in e-mail and paper surveys: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review4: 26–40.
36.
SmithACThomasESnoswellCL, et al. (2020) Telehealth for global emergencies: Implications for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Journal of Telehealth and Telemedicine26: 309–313.
37.
SnoswellCLChelbergGDe GuzmanKR, et al. (2021) The clinical effectiveness of telehealth: A systematic review of meta-analyses from 2010 to 2019. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare29: 669–684.
38.
TaylorRRMeltonJ (2009) Therapeutic use of self: A model of the intentional relationship. In: DuncanEAS (ed.) Skills for Practice in Occupational Therapy. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Ltd, pp. 123–144.
39.
WardlowLLeffBBieseK, et al. (2023) Development of telehealth principles and guidelines for older adults: A modified Delphi approach. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society71: 371–382.
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
