Tell Me More About Tele…
One positive development associated with the Covid-19 Pandemic is the rise of technology based solutions. Telehealth in Australia has existed for many years, but prior to the pandemic was generally used in rural and remote areas. Telehealth has now been embraced by many services, creating more access to healthcare across Australia. At Chatling, we are able to provide telehealth services in addition to face-to-face services.
What are the benefits of telehealth?
Accessibility:
Waiting lists for face-to-face Speech Pathology can be long, particularly if you live in an area with limited services.
Telehealth means you can access services sooner while waiting for a face-to-face appointment.
Choice:
Some clients may wish to work with a clinician who has particular training or skills.
Telehealth allows access to a wider range of clinicians, providing you with more choice of who you wish to work with.
Flexibility:
If you are away or can’t attend your usual appointment, telehealth allows you to reschedule with more time options.
If you move, you can continue to work with your usual clinician.
Telehealth allows for effective collaboration. For example, if you cannot attend your child’s school appointments, occasional telehealth appointments may suit to enable communication with you and your child’s clinician.
Cost and Time Effective:
Telehealth saves you time travelling to a clinic, and additional travel costs.
Telehealth can also be used for case conferences and meetings, so members of the support team can connect in a cost-effective manner.
Health:
If you, or someone in the home is ill, telehealth is a way to access services while avoiding the spread of infection.
Some clients prefer telehealth as a means to reduce possible exposure to Covid-19.
Is telehealth as effective as face-to-face services?
The short answer is- it depends! Telehealth services can be as effective as face-to-face approaches, and the evidence base continues to grow for telehealth (Speech Pathology Australia, 2020). Some intervention and assessment approaches have been evaluated for use via telehealth, but not all have been evaluated.
How do I know if telehealth will Work for me?
Speech Pathology Australia (2020) provides some recommendations on implementing effective telehealth:
Working Technology:
This may be a tablet or laptop with an adequate sized screen.
Phones can be used, but are not recommended. The smaller screen size and poor audio can make phone based support more difficult.
The use of headphones and a microphone may support better audio.
Internet Connection:
Reliable internet is needed to facilitate telehealth appointments.
Location:
An appropriate location for sessions is needed, ideally a quiet and private space.
Client and Support Person Engagement:
Consider if you would benefit from having a support person available for appointment.
For young children, this may be a parent or guardian. Older clients may have a support worker or family member nearby to help if needed.
Some clients are able to directly engage and focus for direct therapy during telehealth appointments.
For other clients, the therapy focus is on parent or communication partner training and coaching.
How Do you Keep Children Engaged over Telehealth?
One-To-One Supports:
After experiencing online schooling during the Covid-19 Pandemic, many families are concerned about their children’s ability to focus and learn in online environments.
Telehealth for Speech Pathology differs from online schooling, as supports are provided one-to-one.
We are able to focus directly on your child and respond to them quickly.
By focusing directly on your child, we are able to identify when it may be time to change our approach or introduce new activities.
Online Games, Videos, Books and Activities:
Whether in person or online, we aim to make therapy fun and enjoyable for children.
We use a range of interactive online games, videos and activities to target therapy goals in an enjoyable way.
Physical Games, Books and Activities:
Even when interacting online, many children enjoy directing clinicians as they use physical games, books and activities.
It can also be motivating for children to have their own toys, books and favourite things from home ready for the session.
The additional benefit of this approach, is that the clinician can demonstrate how to target therapy goals using the child’s interests and home-resources.
This makes implementing goals outside of the sessions much easier to carry over!
Children Don’t Always Need To Engage Directly - Online Or In Person!
There are many treatment programs and approaches that are best delivered by parents, caregivers or other communication partners.
For example, joint book reading approaches, language nutrition for young children, or strategies for communication partners when clients are accessing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for the first time.
Whether online or in person, these approaches are focused on coaching and training for parent, carers and communication partners.
This means young children do not always need to be directly engaged, we have worked with children as young as eight-months via telehealth!
Overall, telehealth is an exciting and promising health care solution that suits many of our clients.
Contact us to discuss your goals, and if telehealth may be right for you.
References:
Speech Pathology Australia (2020). FAQs from the general public Telepractice / Telehealth and speech pathology. Melbourne: Speech Pathology Australia.
