BIP Digital Health – Technology to support the intervention process

See Blended Intensive Programmes for background and context.

Other presentations I delivered during this BIP in Digital Health:

• Key considerations for the responsible use of digital health technologies.
• Technology for recording and managing interventions.

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Presentation title: Technology to support the intervention process

Download the presentation.

In this presentation (09 April 2024) as part of the BIP in Digital Health, Christian Grüneberg, Franziska Weber and I discussed the impact of technology on the physiotherapy profession, specifically in the context of patient-centred care. We explored the differences between patient-centred care and person-centred care, emphasising the goal of achieving a meaningful life for the person rather than just a functional life for the patient.

We provided examples of a range of technologies used to support the intervention process, such as gaming, social media, mobile apps, health wearables, and virtual reality. Franziska presented her findings from a Delphi study on the facilitators and barriers to blended physiotherapy, which combines in-person and digital therapy.

We then discussed the wider implications for the physiotherapy profession, including the potential role changes for physiotherapists, patients, and students. It highlights the need for physiotherapists to shift from being the “expert” in charge to becoming a “guide” and collaborator, facilitating patient self-management and developing digital health literacy.

We also discuss the importance of dealing with uncertainty in a technology-enhanced model of care and the need for all stakeholders to develop a different conception of health literacy and digital health literacy.

We emphasised the need for role changes and the development of new skills and literacies in physiotherapy. And we discussed the integration of health technologies with a mindset of innovation, collaboration, and a focus on achieving the best outcomes for patients. Participants needed to identify concrete steps they could take to prepare for this evolution in physiotherapy practice.

The session concludes with a reflection exercise, prompting participants to consider their beliefs and assumptions about the roles of physiotherapists and patients. We encouraged them to identify areas where their perspectives might need to shift in a technology-enhanced, patient-centred model of care. We also asked them to think about areas they felt uncertain or resistant to change and to identify small changes they could implement in their practice, such as creating YouTube Shorts or exercise libraries for patients.