WHAT IS IT?
Telepractice, sometimes referred to a telehealth, is the practice of medicine in which the practitioner and the patient communicate using technology, such as the phone, the internet, special TV systems, or other systems. When the patient and the practitioner are in different locations but are still discussing their healthcare, or the patient is receiving treatment without being face-to-face with the practitioner.
WHO USES TELEPRACTICE?
Doctors, dentists, therapists, speech-language pathologists, counselors, and other professionals. The American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) supports telepractice as a viable method of evaluation and treatment delivery. There have been several studies published for both adults and children that have successfully utilized telepractice as a means of therapy delivery.
WHY WOULD SOMEONE USE TELEPRACTICE?
This method of practice was designed to help those who live in rural or other underserved areas to get the services they need. However, this does not mean that telepractice is limited to these venues. Additionally, there is a current shortage of qualified and licensed speech-language pathologists in the United States.Steps Forward uses telepractice to provide vital speech-language therapy services to those who may live in Florida, but who cannot come to the intensive aphasia program.
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM TELEPRACTICE?
Most people, children or adult, can benefit from telepractice with a little practice. Persons with multiple sclerosis, aphasia, apraxia, dyspraxia, cognitive difficulties, swallowing disorders, Parkinson's disease, and traumatic brain injury are some examples.
WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS WITH TELEPRACTICE?
There are some diagnoses or instances in which it is better to be treated in person. For example, the telepractice therapist cannot touch your throat or perform a video swallow study to determine what your swallowing is really like. If you have had a study done, then the therapist can help you with exercises and education about your swallowing. The therapist also cannot feel your jaw, perform a touch oral-motor evaluation, or help you with correct body positioning. Some diagnoses may be a bit more difficult without this touch aspect, but studies have shown that telepractice diagnoses are reliable and accurate.
AM I ELIGIBLE TO USE TELEPRACTICE FOR MY TREATMENT?
There are many factors that determine one's suitability for participating in telepractice:
Equipment: you must have a computer, broadband internet, a microphone, and a webcamera (webcam). Many laptops have these features built in to them. Microphones typically come with all desktop computer systems but are easily purchased at your local computer store, such as Best Buy or Radio Shack. A webcam is also a cheap and easy purchase at these locations, tell them you need it for teleconferencing but don't want the expensive versions, just something simple.
Prepayment: All telepractice sessions must be pre-paid before the session begins. The invoice will be emailed to you before the session, all you have to do is enter your credit card or banking information (PayPal site)
Criteria: Eligible persons should be able to sit in front of a computer/webcam, be able to see material on the monitor, be able to hear the therapist clearly, and should have a caregiver or family member willing to participate in some, if not all, of the sessions. The client may be asked to also have the writing pad portion of the program on the screen during the session to receive written messages. Clients should be cognitively able to participate in this type of interaction.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
- Submit an application with us to determine if you would be a good candidate for this treatment.
- Choose how many hours you'd like to receive services, your therapist will work out a schedule with you.
- We will email you your first bill, which will be for an evaluation (unless you have a current standardized speech-language evaluation). We must evaluate you to help you determine goals, strengths, and how best to help you. Some portions of the evaluation will need to be handled differently--for example, you may need to write down words on a piece of paper and then fax it, scan it, or mail it in to us. Evaluations for the intensive aphasia program will be more extensive.
- After we have all parts of the evaluation completed, we will discuss goals with you. This means we want to know what you want to do (we know you want to "speak better", but where is it most important to you? In your home? In church? In the bank or grocery store?). We will then write your goals with your assistance.
- After this, we may need to send you some information via mail, email, or fax. We will send you necessary homework or therapy tools ahead of your next session. We do not use workbook sheets!
- We hope that there will be a caregiver or family member present during most of your sessions to ensure that there is carry-over of your session.
- At the end of your sessions, you will receive a report detailing your testing results, your goal results, information about how to continue with your program, and caregiver training information.
