One of the many benefits of becoming a Certified Brain Injury Specialist is receiving access to a newsletter offered by the Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists called the ACBIS Insider. The most recent newsletter covered topics related to telepractice in brain injury rehabilitation and care. The current COVID-19 pandemic has brought telepractice, which is the practice of using technology such as video and telephone to conduct care remotely, into the spotlight. Many providers offering services integral to brain injury survivors, from therapies (speech, physical, occupational, mental health), to doctors and case managers rose to the challenge of offering their services remotely in order to protect the health and safety of their patients. The Brain Injury Association of America surveyed 400 providers across the country to understand how this initiative has been working.
Key takeaways from their survey data include:
- All treatment modalities that did not require a physical presence or hands-on approach were reliably delivered. This included counseling/psychotherapy, speech therapy, some elements of physical and occupational therapy, nursing, case management, and family education and training.
- The majority of clinicians were able to collect objective data reliably, which is important for tracking patient progress.
- Over 76% of respondents reported that progress made via teletherapy was equal to, or in some cases, even surpassed progress seen in therapy delivered in-person.
- A whopping 98% of respondents said they would continue to use telehealth in the future.
As a practicing clinician, it is encouraging to see the overwhelmingly positive data about how rehab professionals in the brain injury field have experienced use of telepractice. Some other benefits of telepractice that were not mentioned in the report include:
- Allows for the ability to complete therapy sessions from the comfort of your own home.
- Saves time in your day by eliminating travel to a therapy center.
- Reduces stress related to obtaining transportation, whether through a caregiver or a transportation service.
- Makes quality therapy more accessible.
- Offers greater privacy than completing therapy at a clinic.
- Increases access to therapy services to those living in remote or rural areas.
- Increases safety during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by reducing interactions with other people in busy waiting rooms and clinic offices.
We are planning to offer services via teletherapy in the near future, including speech/language/cognitive therapy, yoga and mindfulness practice. If you have questions about any aspect of telepractice or our services, please feel free to contact us.