Abstract
We used a mixed-methods design to gather OTP and pediatric family perspectives on effective occupational therapy telehealth interventions. Results suggest the importance of caregiver coaching and involvement, and clear communication from all parties.
Primary Author and Speaker: Shain Davis
Contributing Authors: Sarina Cass, Dina Marvizi, Elizabeth Stone
Telehealth is a unique platform with current research naming many benefits of telehealth (Grundstein et al., 2021). For example, practitioners can lessen the patient care gap by accessing more children and families due to transportation limitations, time concerns, and availability of specialty services in rural or remote areas that might not otherwise have access. However, occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) and parent/caregiver perspectives for best practices are under-researched. Our study aimed to explore how communication styles of OTPs, parent involvement, coaching, and environmental factors affect the successful outcomes of pediatric telehealth services. The target population that we surveyed included caregivers of children ages 3-18 years old receiving OT services via telehealth currently, or within the past two years, with a minimum of 5 sessions. Similarly, OTPs were surveyed who were currently providing telehealth sessions to children ages 3-18 years old or had provided a minimum of 8 sessions within the past two years. Common themes surfaced throughout both surveys and independently among groups, including parent/caregiver involvement and coaching, advanced preparation for caregiver and occupational therapist practitioners through prior communication, and preparing materials before a session, client-centered sessions, and environments free from distractions. These results inform practitioners and caregivers of practices that can be implemented for successful telehealth sessions. The AOTA’s 2025 Vision states that ‘Occupational therapy maximizes health, well-being, and quality of life for all people, populations, and communities through effective solutions that facilitate participation in everyday living’ (AOTA, n.d.). With technology changing the landscape of how and where occupational therapists deliver interventions, we must continue to look at evidence-based practices to drive improvement.
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