• Ali Jasem Buabbas, Sarah Ebraheem Albahrouh, Hesham N Alrowayeh, and Hamza Alshawaf.
• Department of Community Medicine and Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait.
• Med Princ Pract. 2022 Jan 1; 31 (2): 156-164.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore satisfaction and attitudes of patients towards the use of telerehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic and to report the experience of physical therapists (PTs) with the use of telerehabilitation.Subjects And MethodsA modified Telemedicine Satisfaction and Usefulness Questionnaire was used to assess the satisfaction and attitudes of musculoskeletal patients who had received telerehabilitation services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight PTs to explore their experiences with telerehabilitation, including difficulties and benefits.ResultsOut of 53 patients who received telerehabilitation, 46 questionnaires were completed, with a response rate of 86.8%. In general, the patients were satisfied with and had positive attitudes towards the telerehabilitation services. The majority (89.2%) of the patients felt more involved in their care via telerehabilitation and a majority (93.5%) believed that video call sessions were a convenient form of telerehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven out of 8 PTs reported benefits of telerehabilitation (i.e., reduced patients' waiting lists and improved access to physical therapy care). Also, they were in favour of continuing using telerehabilitation to support the conventional physical therapy care, despite the lack of technological infrastructure.ConclusionThe patients as well as the PTs were generally satisfied with their telerehabilitation experiences. Using telerehabilitation in Kuwait was favoured as an adjunct method during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with extensive training, optimal allocation of resources, and the development of local guidelines, telerehabilitation would become an effective mean for the health delivery system in Kuwait.© 2022 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

21 keywords...

hide…