Mrs Jessica Allchin¹

¹Sydney Local Health District, Concord, Australia

Abstract:

The rapid transition to telehealth in July 2021, imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in Greater Sydney, created an opportunity to study the feasibility of and patient satisfaction of Occupational Therapy delivered via telehealth for burns patients.

Occupational Therapy provide non-surgical scar management for burns patients at risk of, or presenting with, hypertrophic or keloid scarring. Due the physical presentation of scarring, assessment and treatment is usually conducted in-person.

The literature on the use of telehealth for Occupational Therapy service is limited, however there is acknowledgement that services are adaptable to this model of care (Carson, 2014).

A pilot study with a cross-sectional survey design was conducted. Concord burns patients who received at least one occupational therapy telehealth appointment for scar management between October 2021 and March 2022 were invited to participate. A REDCap survey was distributed which included patient demographic data, telehealth visit characteristics and criteria from the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (Parmanto et al., 2016).  A Human Research Ethics Application was approved by Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee – Concord Repatriation General Hospital.

Results (N=55) may help clinicians and health service managers understand: the patient experience; patient satisfaction of the quality of care provided; the quality and ease of digital technology; and the overall willingness of the patient to participate in future telehealth services.

Parmanto, B, Lewis Jr. A, Graham, K. & Bertolet, M, 2016 ‘Development of the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ)’, International Journal of Telerehabilitation, vol. 8, no.1, pp.3-10.

Carson, J, 2014, ‘Telehealth: a rapidly developing service delivery model for occupational therapy’, International Journal of Telerehabilitation, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 29-25

Biography:

Jessica Allchin works at Concord Hospital Burns Unit as the Senior Occupational Therapist. She is passionate about improving rural patients’ access to care during their burns rehabilitation, and the development of telehealth.