<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_ajon-2017-120_s_001"><h3>Question</h3><p>Does a Telehealth model of care facilitating treatment in rural hospitals for patients requiring a TLSO eliminate the need for transfer to a tertiary referral hospital?</p></sec><sec id="j_ajon-2017-120_s_002"><h3>Design</h3><p>Quantitative pre and post intervention design.</p></sec><sec id="j_ajon-2017-120_s_003"><h3>Participants</h3><p>Physiotherapists, nursing and medical staff at rural hospital pilot sites.</p></sec><sec id="j_ajon-2017-120_s_004"><h3>Intervention</h3><p>Pre and post intervention data collection provided patient demographics, and length of stay data around model of care implementation. Pre intervention staff surveys identified knowledge gaps informing educational packages which were provided with a mobile Telehealth link.</p></sec><sec id="j_ajon-2017-120_s_005"><h3>Outcome measures</h3><p>Primary: Number of patients managed under the new model of care. Secondary: Length of stay, travel distance eliminated and complications.</p></sec><sec id="j_ajon-2017-120_s_006"><h3>Results</h3><p>30 patients fitted with TLSO’s and managed under this model of care to date. Length of stay has reduced from 9.14 days pre intervention to 3.8 days post intervention. Approximate savings of $6840 per patient have been identified, with over 6000kms of patient travel eliminated. No complications have occurred. Rural Physiotherapists have been successfully up skilled in managing patients requiring TLSO fitting.</p></sec><sec id="j_ajon-2017-120_s_007"><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This intervention successfully created a model of care to facilitate local management of patients requiring TLSO fitting with Telehealth support from a tertiary referral hospital. Considerable savings have occurred from this model of care for patients and the health district. This model is currently being implemented district wide.</p></sec><sec id="j_ajon-2017-120_s_008"><h3>Key Practice Points</h3><list list-type="bullet"><list-item><p>Telehealth model of care can be successfully implemented to TLSO management</p></list-item><list-item><p>Multidisciplinary team role is critical role in redesigning models of care</p></list-item><list-item><p>Telehealth increase the efficiency of healthcare resources</p></list-item></list></sec></abstract>

QuestionDoes a Telehealth model of care facilitating treatment in rural hospitals for patients requiring a TLSO eliminate the need for transfer to a tertiary referral hospital?DesignQuantitative pre and post intervention design.ParticipantsPhysiotherapists, nursing and medical staff at rural hospital pilot sites.InterventionPre and post intervention data collection provided patient demographics, and length of stay data around model of care implementation. Pre intervention staff surveys identified knowledge gaps informing educational packages which were provided with a mobile Telehealth link.Outcome measuresPrimary: Number of patients managed under the new model of care. Secondary: Length of stay, travel distance eliminated and complications.Results30 patients fitted with TLSO’s and managed under this model of care to date. Length of stay has reduced from 9.14 days pre intervention to 3.8 days post intervention. Approximate savings of $6840 per patient have been identified, with over 6000kms of patient travel eliminated. No complications have occurred. Rural Physiotherapists have been successfully up skilled in managing patients requiring TLSO fitting.ConclusionThis intervention successfully created a model of care to facilitate local management of patients requiring TLSO fitting with Telehealth support from a tertiary referral hospital. Considerable savings have occurred from this model of care for patients and the health district. This model is currently being implemented district wide.Key Practice PointsTelehealth model of care can be successfully implemented to TLSO managementMultidisciplinary team role is critical role in redesigning models of careTelehealth increase the efficiency of healthcare resources

Support My Spine ASAP. A Rural Tele-health care model for patients being managed with a Thoracic Lumbar Sacral Orthotic (TLSO)

Australasian Journal of Neuroscience

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

QuestionDoes a Telehealth model of care facilitating treatment in rural hospitals for patients requiring a TLSO eliminate the need for transfer to a tertiary...

Support My Spine ASAP. A Rural Tele-health care model for patients being managed with a Thoracic Lumbar Sacral Orthotic (TLSO)

Published Online: Jan 25, 2018

Page range: 7 - 9

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/ajon-2017-120

Keywords
Telehealth, TLSO brace

© 2016 Ryan Gallagher et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Support My Spine ASAP. A Rural Tele-health care model for patients being managed with a Thoracic Lumbar Sacral Orthotic (TLSO)

Published Online: Jan 25, 2018

Page range: 7 - 9

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/ajon-2017-120

KeywordsTelehealth, TLSO brace

© 2016 Ryan Gallagher et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
Telehealth, TLSO brace