Now that many therapy clients have been forced to transition to telehealth (or teletherapy/telepractice) many clients are finding they want to keep doing telehealth in tandem with in-person services due to how it makes their lives so much easier. There are a lot of benefits for therapists as well.
Many therapists have had to adjust their practices significantly during the times of COVID-19 due to stay at home orders or other interruptions.
This has forced a number of therapists to start doing telehealth, with some planning on incorporating it moving forward and others planning on going back to ‘normal’ and only doing in-person services. Some practices closed during stay at home orders and didn’t offer telehealth or telepractice at all.
These therapists are missing out on a number of benefits for both the therapist and their clients, which as time goes on will leave them at a distinct disadvantage relative to the other therapists who have embraced the advantages of the medium.
Using proper materials in telehealth (or telepractice) can make a significant difference in the gains made by patients of an occupational therapist (OT).
An occupational therapist plays a significant role in the lives of children and adults who need help with everyday tasks. Whether working in schools or in a private practice, OTs have the opportunity to take their services online with a telehealth practice.
As telehealth becomes more prominent across different settings, the therapist-facilitator relationship is more important and varied than ever.
Facilitators are incredibly important when it comes to the success of the client and they play a vital role in teletherapy. The facilitator can be anyone from the client’s parent, caregiver, teacher aid, student support specialist and so on.
The demand for occupational therapists that can give quality teletherapy has gone from a few early adopters to a wide portion of the therapy population almost overnight with stay at home orders and other precautions.
Now that many clients have been forced to make the jump to teletherapy, they are starting to consider whether or not coming in for regular therapy needs to happen every time when there’s a plethora of advantages to the client of why teletherapy is a good option and treatment outcomes have been shown to be very similar.
Telehealth, teletherapy or telepractice has burst into prominence due to many therapists being forced to work remotely due to concerns of COVID-19, and many therapists are realizing the benefits both for their patients and for themselves as a therapist. Even many therapists that were not considering incorporating telehealth before are now being forced to integrate it in order to effectively serve their current clients and attract new ones.
Now that many occupational therapy clients have been forced to transition to telehealth (or teletherapy/telepractice) many clients are finding they want to keep doing telehealth in tandem with in-person services due to how it makes their lives so much easier. There are a lot of benefits for occupational therapists as well.
Many people who need a wide variety of medical and therapeutic services and have been restricted by stay at home orders or other restrictions to protect their own health or that of others. While telehealth is not going to be the best choice for every client, moving forward it is important for occupational therapists to consider how telehealth fits into their plan for the future. Many clients will want a combination of in-person services and teletherapy or might at times have telehealth be their only option.
Mental health concerns are rapidly growing on a global scale, yet the shortage of mental health professionals and access to treatment is leaving millions of people left to fend for themselves.
One in four people across the world will be impacted by a mental or neurological disorder at some point throughout their life.
