Describing Caregiver and Clinician Experiences with Pediatric Telerehabilitation Across Clinical Disciplines

Authors

  • Meaghan Reitzel School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada AND CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada AND KidsAbility Centre for Child Development, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8509-3207
  • Lori Letts School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4770-8797
  • Cynthia Lennon KidsAbility Centre for Child Development, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
  • Jennifer Lasenby-Lessard Parent partner and Psychology Department, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
  • Monika Novak-Pavlic School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada AND CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada AND Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Briano Di Rezze School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada AND CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
  • Michelle Phoenix School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada AND CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada AND KidsAbility Centre for Child Development, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6190-3997

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2024.6684

Keywords:

Caregiver experience, Clinician experience, Multidisciplinary, Pediatric telerehabilitation

Abstract

Scope: This study describes the high and low points of caregiver and clinician experiences with pediatric telerehabilitation with consideration for the sustainable adoption of pediatric telerehabilitation beyond the COVID-19 pandemic context.

Methods: As part of a larger study, this project analyzed data from qualitative interviews to describe caregivers’ (n = 27) and clinicians’ (n = 27) experiences with pediatric telerehabilitation.

Findings: Caregiver and clinician experiences with pediatric telerehabilitation are described according to four touchpoints identified: (1) child engagement in telerehabilitation; (2) perceived value of telerehabilitation services and caregiver engagement; (3) preparing the people and environment for telerehabilitation services; (4) fit of using a telerehabilitation model; and (5) providing family with choice.

Discussion: Findings highlight the importance of being informed about the telerehabilitation service model, feeling prepared for telerehabilitation appointments and being responsive to families’ choice. Recommendations to address these areas are discussed.

  

References

Bate, P., & Robert, G. (2007). Bringing user experience to healthcare improvement: The concepts, methods and practices of experience- based design. Radcliffe Publishing Ltd.

Camden, C., Pratte, G., Fallon, F., Couture, E., Berbari, J., & Tousignant, M. (2020). Diversity of practices in telerehabilitation for children with disabilities and effective intervention characteristics: Results from a systematic review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 42(24), 3424–3436. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2019.1595750

Camden, C., & Silva, M. (2021). Pediatric teleheath: Opportunities created by the COVID-19 and suggestions to sustain its use to support families of children with disabilities. Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics, 41(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/01942638.2020.1825032

Chan, F., Bezyak, J., Romero Ramirez, M., Chiu, C.-Y., Sung, C., & Fujikawa, M. (2010). Concepts, challenges, barriers, and opportunities related to evidence-based practice in rehabilitation counseling. Rehabilitation Education, 24(3 & 4), 179–190. https://doi.org/10.1891/088970110805029778

Donetto, S., Pierri, P., Tsianakas, V., & Robert, G. (2015). Experience based co-design and healthcare improvement: Realizing participatory design in the public sector. Design Journal, 18(2), 227–248. https://doi.org/10.2752/175630615X14212498964312

Dostie, R., Gaboury, I., Cinar, E., & Camden, C. (2022). Acceptability of pediatric telerehabilitation interventions provided by physical therapists and occupational therapists-A scoping review. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1080/01942638.2022.2064203

Elo, S., & Kyngäs, H. (2008). The qualitative content analysis process. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 62(1), 107–115. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04569.x

Fairweather, G. C., Lincoln, M., Ramsden, R., & Bulkeley, K. (2021). Parent engagement and therapeutic alliance in allied health teletherapy programs. Health & Social Care in the Community, 00, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13235

Google. (n.d.). Google Jamboard. jamboard.google.com

Goorts, K., Dizon, J., & Milanese, S. (2021). The effectiveness of implementation strategies for promoting evidence informed interventions in allied healthcare: A systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 21(241), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06190-0

Graham, F., Williman, J., Sutherland, L., & Wijninckx, M. (2023). Telehealth delivery of paediatric rehabilitation for children with neurodisability: A mixed methods realist evaluation of contexts, mechanisms and outcomes. Child: Care, Health and Development, 49(1), 156–169. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.13028

Grant, C., Jones, A., & Land, H. (2022). What are the perspectives of speech pathologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists on using telehealth videoconferencing for service delivery to children with developmental delays? A systematic review of the literature. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 30(3), 321–336. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12843

Harris, P. A., Taylor, R., Minor, B. L., Elliott, V., Fernandez, M., O’Neal, L., McLeod, L., Delacqua, G., Delacqua, F., Kirby, J., & Duda, S. N. (2019). The REDCap consortium: Building an international community of software platform partners. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 95(May), 103208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbi.2019.103208

King, G., Chiarello, L. A., Ideishi, R., Ziviani, J., Phoenix, M., McLarnon, M. J. W., Pinto, M., Thompson, L., & Smart, E. (2019). The complexities and synergies of engagement: An ethnographic study of engagement in outpatient pediatric rehabilitation sessions. Disability and Rehabilitation, 43(16), 2353–2365. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2019.1700562

Kuzel, A. j. (1999). Sampling in Qualitative Inquiry. In B. Crabtree & W. Miller (Eds.), Doing Qualitative Research (2nd ed., pp. 33–45). SAGE Publications.

Kwok, E., Cunningham, B., Pozniak, K., Chiu, J., & Rosenbaum, P. (2022b, August 10). CanChild Telepractice Resources. Telepractice resources for pediatric communication professionals. https://www.canchild.ca/en/resources/356-telepractice-resources

Kwok, E. Y. L., Pozniak, K., Cunningham, B. J., & Rosenbaum, P. (2022a). Factors influencing the success of telepractice during the COVID-19 pandemic and preferences for post-pandemic services: An interview study with clinicians and parents. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 57(6), 1354–1367. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12760

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1986). But is it rigorous? Trustworthiness and authenticity in naturalistic evaluation. New Directions for Program Evaluation, 30, 73–84. https://doi.org/10.1002/ev.1427

Lindgren, B. M., Lundman, B., & Graneheim, U. H. (2020). Abstraction and interpretation during the qualitative content analysis process. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103632

Lindsay, S., Ragunathan, S., Kingsnorth, S., Zhou, C., Kakonge, L., Cermak, C., Hickling, A., & Wright, F. V. (2023). Understanding the benefits and challenges of outpatient virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Canadian pediatric rehabilitation hospital. Disability and Rehabilitation. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2023.2221902

McCarthy, E., & Guerin, S. (2022). Family-centred care in early intervention: A systematic review of the processes and outcomes of family-centered care and impacting factors. Child: Care, Health and Development, 48(1), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12901

Microsoft Corporation. (2016). Microsoft Word. https://office.microsoft.com/word

Moll, S., Wyndham-West, M., Mulvale, G., Park, S., Buettgen, A., Phoenix, M., Fleisig, R., & Bruce, E. (2020). Are you really doing a “codesign”? Critical reflections when working with vulnerable populations. BMJ Open, 10(11), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038339

Mulvale, G., Moll, S., Miatello, A., Murray-Leung, L., Rogerson, K., & Sassi, R. B. (2019). Co-designing services for youth with mental health issues: Novel elicitation approaches. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 18, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406918816244

Ogourtsova, T. (2023). TelereHUB-CHILD: An online integrated knowledge translation tool to optimize telerehabilitation evidence-based practices for children with disabilities and their families. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2023.1139432

Ogourtsova, T., Boychuck, Z., O’Donnell, M., Ahmed, S., Osman, G., & Majnemer, A. (2023). Telerehabilitation for children and youth with developmental disabilities and their families: A systematic review. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 43(2), 129–175. https://doi.org/10.1080/01942638.2022.2106468

Parmanto, B., & Saptono, A. (2009). Telerehabilitation: State-of-the-art from an informatics perspective. International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 1(1), 73–84. https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2009.6015

Phoenix, M., Smart, E., & King, G. (2020). “I Didn’t Know What to Expect”: Describing parents’ expectations in children’s rehabilitation services. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 40(3), 311–329. https://doi.org/10.1080/01942638.2019.1665155

Reitzel, M., Letts, L., Lennon, C., Lasenby-Lessard, J., Novak-Pavlic, M., Di Rezze, B., & Phoenix, M. (2023). Co-designing solutions to enhance access and engagement in pediatric telerehabilitation. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2023.1293833

Retamal-Walter, F., Waite, M., & Scarinci, N. (2022). Exploring engagement in telepractice early intervention for young children with developmental disability and their families: A qualitative systematic review. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2022.2048098

Retamal-Walter, F., Waite, M., & Scarinci, N. (2023). Families’ and professionals’ perspectives of building and maintaining engagement in telepractice early intervention for young children with communication disability. Disability and Rehabilitation, 45(7), 1165–1177. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2055161

Rosenbaum, P., King, S., Law, M., King, G., & Evans, J. (1998). Family-centered service A conceptual framework and research review. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 18(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/J006v18n01_01

Rosenbaum, P., Silva, M., & Camden, C. (2021). Let’s not go back to ‘normal’! Lessons from COVID-19 for professionals working in childhood disability. Disability and Rehabilitation, 43(7), 1022–1028. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2020.1862925

Tanner, K., Bican, R., & Boster, J. (2020). Feasibility and acceptability of clinical pediatric telerehabilitation services. International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2020.6336

Wittmeier, K. D. M., Hammond, E., Tymko, K., Burnham, K., Janssen, T., Pablo, A. J., Russell, K., Pierce, S., Costello, C., & Protudjer, J. L. P. (2022). “Another Tool in Your Toolkit”: Pediatric occupational and physical therapists’ perspectives of initiating telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 42(5), 465–481. https://doi.org/10.1080/01942638.2022.2065898

Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (2023). Zoom.

Downloads

Published

2025-01-15

How to Cite

Reitzel, M., Letts, L., Lennon, C., Lasenby-Lessard, J., Novak-Pavlic, M., Di Rezze, B., & Phoenix, M. (2025). Describing Caregiver and Clinician Experiences with Pediatric Telerehabilitation Across Clinical Disciplines . International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2024.6684

Issue

Section

Clinical Research

Funding data

Most read articles by the same author(s)