Telehealth

EVIDENCE

Telehealth is offered in the client's functional environment where they communicate on a daily basis, which is considered best practice in many areas of rehabilitation (McCue, Fairman, & Pramuka, 2010) and is supported by the World Health Organization intervention framework (World Health Organization, 2001). The literature suggests that quality of service through telehealth produces similar clinical outcomes when compared with in-person services across neurogenic communication disorders, fluency disorders, voice disorders, dysphagia, and childhood speech and language disorders (Hill & Theodoros, 2002; Lowe, O'Brian, & Onslow, 2013; Mashima & Brown, 2011; Mashima & Doarn, 2008; Swanepoel & Hall, 2011; Theodoros, 2008; Wales, Skinner, & Hayman, 2017). In some cases, the telehealth method was superior to the in-person method by increased service efficiency, treatment satisfaction (Burns, Ward, et al., 2017), and improved treatment outcomes for children (Towey, 2012b).

Further reading:

Literature Review - Do Patients Treated for Voice Therapy With Telepractice Show Similar Changes In Voice Outcome Measures As Patients Treated Face-to-Face? Rangarathnam et al., EBP Briefs 2016. Evidence found in this literature review for the effectiveness of telepractice delivery for the treatment of voice disorders indicates that treatment outcomes are comparable to face-to-face therapy and shows promising scope for this mode of service delivery.

OUR VIRTUAL CLINIC!

With telehealth, you don’t have to travel to our clinics for your appointment, you can instead have your consultation from the comfort of your home or at work. Telehealth simply utilises a video call from your computer or tablet/smartphone, however normal telephone call consultations are also an option.

As well as offering convenience, telehealth services can improve access for patients with mobility or transportation issues, as well as those that are unwell or immunocompromised. With the advent of COVID-19, patients may also require a necessary alternative to face-to-face consultation.

EQUIPMENT

For video calls you will need a reasonably up-to-date computer, tablet or smartphone with a webcam, microphone and speakers. You will then simply receive an invitation via email with a link to join the video call on the scheduled date. We use an online video conferencing platform that is free and easy to use. Telehealth appointments can also be arranged simply as a telephone call. Call us if you have any questions.