Video was already becoming a necessary component in delivering healthcare and rehab, even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, telerehabilitation (the use of telecommunications and video technology to deliver health care outside of traditional health-care facilities) provides an opportunity for physiotherapists and rehabilitation professionals to care of their patients anywhere, during this period of sheltering in place, especially the most vulnerable.
How do you conduct an effective Tele-Rehab intervention with Dartfish?
A tele-rehab intervention takes place in 3 parts:
- Capture: the patient films his movement or exercise and sends the video to sequence to the practitioner.
- Analysis: the rehab specialist conducts his/her the video analysis.
- Sharing: the consultation is done during a live video face-to-face sessions or by sharing the presentation by email.
To conduct this tele-rehab intervention, the practitioner just needs a computer or mobile device with internet connectivity, a microphone and a camera, which is already built-in to most computers and mobile devices. If not, a camera, can easily be purchased as external hardware, teamed with the myDartfish solution.
Capture
The patient or a family member films the movement/exercise, with either a mobile device or a stand-alone camcorder camera. The video is then transferred by a chosen app, such as WhatsApp, Wetransfer, (for sending multiple videos), by using myDartfish Mobile app or by using email.
TIPS: It is recommended to put the camera or the iPhone on a non-moving place (tables, chair…) with a predefined and constant distance and angle vs. the place where movements will be done. It will make the video content even more valuable and easy to interpret by the practitioner.
Analysis
Once the specialist receives the video clip, s/he then conducts the professional technical analysis using the Dartfish solution with drawing tools, slow-motion, side-by-side, overlay comparison, adding comments, and key positions.
The specialist can decide to deliver an analysis presentation to his/her patient, allowing performance review offline or by producing video analysis for an online discussion session.
When the analysis is completed, the practitioner uploads all the video sequences to his/her personal cloud. This service, included in the Dartfish solution, allows viewing of all uploaded videos, which are easily managed, and organized in folders or collections.
Live Sharing Session
The video sessions can be held with use of video chat apps such as Skype or Zoom or other video chat app.
Once an appointment is scheduled, the patient is provided a link to join a session with the practitioner. The experience would be similar to what one would expect in an office, except the face-to-face would be virtual, using a computer, tablet screen or smartphone.
In sharing his/her screen, practitioners can present and explain their patient’s video analysis, archived in their cloud.
The practitioner can also share video presentations with his patients, individualized with comments and protocols, via email, if they choose not to do a live meeting.
TIPS: A high definition web camera and high-speed internet are both recommended, in order to share a very clear image via the sharing tool. It’s actually essential, in order to produce a strong real-time image delivering accurate analysis.If possible, it is also recommended and important to create a direct connection between the camera and the practitioner, using the Dartfish solution via a VPN. This ensures an image is sent of excellent quality.
Dartfish Benefits in Tele-Rehabilitation
Telehealth has many built in advantages: time and money saved, reduced exposure to harmful infections, reduction of the burden on clinical staff, increased and flexible access to healthcare, as well as more frequent ongoing interaction between doctor and patient.
Furthermore, video analysis solutions add value to tele-rehab.
Approximately 50-70 percent of physiotherapy treatment consists of applicable exercise protocols, while promoting patient education, easily done over video.
- Patients are more aware of their improper movement and more easily understand each corrective exercise with video feedback.
- Dartfish solutions display data on personalized videos with drawings, graphs, angle measurements for increased patient awareness, accurate execution, and injury correction.
- Practitioners are able to share resources and design a customized video exercise program for each patient, thanks to Dartfish.tv
- They can also track treatment progress over time, so patients can actually see the progress they’re making, to increase the longevity and effectiveness of the rehab/healing process for each patient.
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