The Basics of Telehealth Assessment and Treatment
Recommendations to clinicians:[edit | edit source]
- Exclude all reg flags
- Identify patients who may need face- to face assessment
- Rationale if a referral is necessary
- identifying a support network of seniors or experts in the field who can advice and assist at any stafge required. This channel needs to be active and the clinicians must be able to contact , as an when necessary
- The contact details shouldn't be kept confidential, it would even be recommended to get seperate lines and contact ids for this purpose, after the consultation the numbers must be deleted or stored only i the official records[1]
Always maintain the records of the patients
Reduce the amount of identifiable patient details that you share digitally
Assessment needs:
Empowerment of the patient
Individually tailored
Not recommended to assess:[edit | edit source]
Assessing high risk patient or patients with potentially high risk conditions
Patients with internal examination including any pelvic area examination
Coniditions or comorbidities affecting the ability to us technology including delusion, anxieties about using tecnology
Deaf and dumb individuals, may be difficulat , however the use of assitive technolgy may aid the process
Key points to keep in mind:[edit | edit source]
Before the Consultation |
|
Start of the consultation |
|
The consultation |
|
Closing the consultaion |
|
After the consultation |
|
The process:[edit | edit source]
Begining:
Perform a brief visual assessment ( Is the patient distressed, gauge his ability to proceed with the assessment)
Understand the purpose of the consultation (assessment, medical records for leave, reassurance, referral etc)
Check the medical records, for the presence of high risk status or red flags or co morbidities (diabetes, steroids, pregnancy, chemotherapy, chronic kidney disease, etc)
Taking a history:
Remote examination
tests
Clinical Descision making:
Treatment plan
Patient guide:
:
- ↑ Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Telephone Guidance from Musculoskeletal Practise. Avaialable from: https://www.csp.org.uk/news/coronavirus/remote-service-delivery-options/telephone-guidance-msk-practice
- ↑ Specialty guides for patient management during the coronavirus pandemic. Clinical guide for the management of remote consultations and remote working in secondary care during the coronavirus pandemic. NHS Report number: 001559 [27/03/2020]