What is Teletherapy?

Teletherapy refers to using technology (e.g., telephone, mobile apps, and videoconferencing) for accessing therapy services.  It is proving to be a popular service delivery model in many sectors.

 

The pandemic resulted in an increased use of teletherapy for Speech and Language Therapy.  Due to the cost-effectiveness, time efficiency, and overall comfort of accessing services from any location, many families, schools, and organisations have continued to utilise this convenient approach. 

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Effective Treatment

The convenience of teletherapy has many benefits which ultimately improve client care. It is especially convenient for parents, providing them with flexible scheduling and the ability to be present in their child’s sessions from any location (including if they are not physically with their child at the time of the appointment). This increases the effectiveness of the sessions as parents can observe to learn strategies to implement at home.  

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In a survey, 92% of parents claimed that teletherapy helped them to work together to improve their child's language skills and 96% reported teletherapy was a convenient alternative to face-to-face therapy (Sikka, 2022). This not only indicates that teletherapy is beneficial in providing effective treatment, but that it is a user-friendly alternative. 

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Cost Effective

Teletherapy sessions are cheaper for schools and individuals than having a Speech and Language Therapist provide a visit, as there are no additional fees associated with travel costs and travel time. Affordable sessions allow more people to access speech and language therapy.

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Teletherapy allows additional family members to attend sessions simultaneously, regardless of their locations, This reduces the need for multiple sessions with therapists, therefore, reducing the cost and time of treatment.

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Time Effective

Time has become a valuable commodity in our fast-paced society. Juggling work obligations, family duties, and personal interests frequently leaves us with little time to prioritise our health. Fortunately, teletherapy has evolved as a breakthrough alternative, providing a time-efficient method to access speech and language therapy.  No longer do clients need to spend time preparing their family to leave the home to attend a clinic, allowing extra time for travel delays, searching for a parking space, or finding a clinic. Remote sessions allow people to spend their time more productively.

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Any Location

Teletherapy breaks down geographical barriers and makes speech and language therapy affordable and accessible to more people. Teletherapy is a lifeline for individuals living in rural or remote locations, where speech and language therapy are typically sparse.

 

Regardless of where someone is in the UK, they can now choose the best Speech and Language Therapist for them, accessing specialists who may not be available locally.  Residents in remote locations no longer need to travel long distances or pay travel costs for a speech and language to visit them.

 

Furthermore, those with physical impairments, mobility issues, limited transport options, or who are medically vulnerable often find teletherapy to be an excellent alternative since it eliminates the need for them to travel to physical locations, saving them time, money, and energy.  This broadens the range of accessible expertise, ensuring that individuals may connect with therapists who best fit their specific needs and preferences, all without the time-consuming process of looking for, travelling to, and waiting for referrals.

 

Students no longer need to take precious time off school to visit a clinic and instead, the speech and language therapist can interact with them online to provide sessions within a familiar environment.  Adults can have sessions from work or during a lunch break, rather than taking additional time off work to travel       

 

Technology

Teletherapy uses technology to improve the effectiveness of speech and language therapy. Therapists utilise digital technologies to assess progress, set objectives, and give real-time feedback via virtual platforms. This method not only expedites the therapeutic process but also allows patients to actively participate in their speech and language therapy journey.

 

Simpson and Reid (2014) investigated patient satisfaction with teletherapy, highlighting the favourable influence on therapeutic interactions and results. This improved coordination saves time that would otherwise be spent on in-person meetings and discussions. Multidisciplinary teams may readily gather on virtual platforms to debate cases, share ideas, and make educated decisions, resulting in more streamlined and effective treatment.  

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Through advanced technology, therapists can use online innovative tools and resources to help their clients, reducing the need for physical materials. They can play interactive games and use multimedia content which is both engaging and more cost-effective (Kanga, 2023).

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Comfort

Studies show us that teletherapy provides a safe therapeutic option for clients, as they're in familiar surroundings. When clients take part in sessions from the comfort of their own homes, they are more receptive to learning due to being less overwhelmed. Evidence shows that clients were showing better results due to the capacity of feeling safe (Orlowski et al, 2022).

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Sustainability

Teletherapy is sustainable due to:

 

   • Accessibility- a remote clinic is accessible to anyone with access to the Internet, which in 2023 is around 5.3 billion people, making up 65% of the entire world’s population.

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   • Cost/time effectiveness- During our current ‘cost of living crisis’, commuting isn’t always an affordable option but teletherapy remains available as a choice

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   • Comfort- studies have shown that teletherapy users have a slightly higher percentage of showing progress due to the face-to-face sessions not being in the comfort of their own homes.

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   • Environmental sustainability- teletherapy as a concept is far more environmentally sustainable than its traditional counterpart. This is due to reducing the commute for both the client and the therapist. In a study by Roberto et. al (2023), they found that a remote worker can lead to CO2 emission savings of at least 3.8 kg/day (only considering emissions from private transport modes). Paper usage can also be reduced with this business model.

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References

Orlowski, E. W., Friedlander, M. L., Megale, A., Peterson, E. K., & Anderson, S. R. (2022). Couple and family therapists' experiences with Telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic: a phenomenological analysis. Contemporary family therapy, 44(2), 101–114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-022-09640-x

Presence. (2023, January 25). Eight online speech therapy resources for 2023. Presence. https://presence.com/insights/eight-online-speech-therapy-resources-for-2023/

Roberto, R., Zini, A., Felici, B., Rao, M., & Noussan, M. (2023). Potential Benefits of Remote Working on Urban Mobility and Related Environmental Impacts: Results from a Case Study in Italy. Applied Sciences, 13(1), 607. MDPI AG. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app13010607

Research Indicates Positive Aspects of Teletherapy | TherapyWorks. (2022, September 23). TherapyWorks. https://therapyworks.com/blog/teletherapy/research-indicates-positive-aspects-of-teletherapy/

Sikka, K. Parent’s Perspective on Teletherapy of Pediatric Population with Speech and Language Disorder During Covid-19 Lockdown in India. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 75, 14–20 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-022-03310-y

Simpson, S. G., & Reid, C. L. (2014). Therapeutic alliance in videoconferencing psychotherapy: a review. The Australian journal of rural health, 22(6), 280–299. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12149

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