Is telehealth suitable for my participant?
Telehealth is suitable for a wide range of participants under a wide range of circumstances.
Aside from Home Modifications, with the right amount of information provided prior and screening tools completed, many assessments can be done using telehealth.
As a Support Coordinator, we understand you need to be able to provide Allied Health services to your participants quickly and easily, including participants in remote areas.
You want the best possible outcome for your participants and you might often believe this is best achieved with face to face therapy. However, you also want your participant to secure an appointment as soon as possible.
At Ability Partners, we know telehealth options can provide great outcomes and ensure your pariticipant is seen as soon as possible – without sacrificing on quality.
Let’s explore exactly when telehealth is suitable and when it isn’t.
Telehealth IS suitable for
- Functional Capacity Assessments
- Assistive Technology Assessments*
- Psychology and Counselling
- OT Autism teletherapy
- Ongoing OT Therapy for appropriate participants
Functional Capacity Assessments
This assessment is usually in the form of an in depth conversation covering topics such as a person’s background, physical, cognitive and emotional functioning.The assessor will obtain information from multiple stakeholders in the participant’s support team. Depending on the participants disability, some simple observations of movements or tasks may be required and can be done easily through telehealth. Our team are adept at assessing a wide variety of participants via telehealth and do so successfully on a weekly basis.
Assistive Technology Assessments*
Assistive technology can be assessed via telehealth I measurements are not required, such as for a wheelchair assessment.
*Only suitable if measurements are not required.
Psychology and counselling
Psychology and Counselling are another form of conversation based therapy supports. As such, they can be provided via telehealth.
OT Autism teletherapy
We use a leading interactive learning platform called Presence Learning to deliver capacity building OT sessions via telehealth.
Our Autism Teletherapy Service allows participants to play a whole host of different “games” with their OT. These therapy “games” can help build capacity in the areas of social skills, emotional regulation, executive function, communication, and sensory modulation. This functionality of this technology is an advantage of telehealth compared with in person therapy, where playing such games would not be possible.
Telehealth IS NOT suitable for
- Complex Cases
- Pariticipants with severe physical impairments
- Home modifications
Complex Cases are not suitable for telehealth, but what is a Complex Case?
Ability Partners defines a Complex Case as:
- Participant is non-verbal and does not have an advocate available OR
- Participant is not English speaking and requires a translator OR
- Participant has no fixed address or no access to computer/internet OR
- Participant has significant physical/mobility impairments that need to be assessed in person.
It is important to note, that in most cases, what makes a case complex is the logistics of the assessment, level of support available and communication ability of the participant. Many participants with complex disabilities, behaviours and traumatic backgrounds can be very effectively assessed via telehealth. Complex Cases as defined above are best suited to in person assessments.
Participants with severe physical impairments
Participants with severe physical impairments in most cases require their mobility and transfers to be physically observed and assessed. To do this thoroughly this is best suited to an in person assessment, rather than telehealth.
Home Modifications are not suitable for telehealth
Home Modifications require an Occupational Therapist to visit a paritipant’s home and complete an extensive assessment, including taking measurements of the space. As such, Home Modifications are not suitable for telehealth.
Telehealth is suitable in many cases
Still cant decide?
At Ability Partners we understand that every participant is different and has a host of unique support needs. As a result, every referral for a telehealth service is reviewed extensively for appropriateness before being accepted.
If you are still unsure whether your participant is suitable for telehealth, call 1800 AP NDIS (27 6347) or email us at enquiries@abilitypartners.com.au to discuss your participant with one of our experienced team.
Ability Partners provide a range of different services, including telehealth.
