Digital, Technology & Physical therapy. Can they co-exist together?
In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital transformation in the healthcare sector accelerated significantly. New technology which would usually take months to trial or test in sandboxes during normalcy, were implemented almost instantaneously. An example would be remote-care prescription and tele-health. It was not yet ready to be accepted as a form of clinical consultation. However, with lock-downs implemented due to the pandemic, it has become an accepted, or sometimes the only choice for consumers to seek non-life threatening treatments. Will the trend of increased acceptance of technology in healthcare be continuing or will it vanish into smoke? It is yet to be determined, but it seems like it is here to stay for now.
Physical Therapist / Physiotherapist / PT
Essentially, physiotherapists are involved from basic human functions (crawling, walking, and breathing), all the way to high performance in competitive sports (soccer, power-lifting, cross-fit). As long as there is an involvement in muscles, balance or gait, you will find a physiotherapist connected in the care. This applies across a human lifespan, from birth (Neonatal and Paediatrics PTs) all the way to end-of-life care (Kudos to the Palliative Care Physios). Physiotherapists work in diverse fields — Neurology, Orthopaedics, Geriatrics, Musculoskeletal, Cardiopulmonary.. the list goes on. While it is common to believe that physiotherapists ‘prescribe exercises for your <insert impairment>’, it is usually not so simple. In fact, a physiotherapist takes on multiple roles to manage the *complex* care needs for their clients or patients.
Besides working like a walking book of exercises, physiotherapists are sometimes a guide for patients to carefully manage their expectations, a motivator to get them to reach better repetitions, an advocate for active movement, or even a negotiator to improve adherence to exercise programs. At times, more detective work is needed to determine the true cause of certain problems. But at the end, the satisfaction of being able to improve the quality of life of each individual is the most rewarding part of the process. Currently, there are over 666,000 physiotherapists across the globe, and represented globally by World Physiotherapy.
Digital & Technology
孔子 — 适当地称呼各种事物是智慧的开始
The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name ~Confucius (51 BC — 479 BC)
At first glance, both of the terms might seem to be talking about the same concept. However, the below example might help you to understand it better.
Technology comes from the Greek word ‘τέχνη -λογία (Technología)’, translated in English — science of craft. According to the U.S National Library of Medicine, it is defined as the ‘application of scientific knowledge to practical purposes in any field and includes methods, techniques & instrumentation’. Technology has always been around us and even so in healthcare. Technology has been usually associated with more sophisticated equipment but it can also be a scientific innovation of a simple tool. Some examples includes spectacles or an injection syringe. Technology in healthcare exists to save and improves lives, ranging from prevention to rehab, as well as diagnosis and cure. It provides value by allowing people to live longer and contribute to society. Technology also impacts on healthcare systems which improve quality of care, efficiency and sustainability. As technology is a broad term, it also means that there are various forms. Some technology that are currently deployed in healthcare include Information and Communication technology (ICT), Assistive Technology and Medical/Bio/Health Technology. Each focuses on the different segments in healthcare in order to solve different needs.
Digital, on the other hand, is seen to be less of a thing, but more a way of doing things. In fact, the movement has been growing in industries like banking and commerce. The purpose of digital is not only to improve service, but also creating value and unlocking growth. For the healthcare industry, Digital Health becomes a new buzzword. According to World Health Organisation, it is defined as ‘the field of knowledge and practice associated with development and use of digital technologies to improve health.’ An updated definition classified eHealth as a subset of Digital Health, where eHealth focuses on information and communication technology (ICT) processes, tools and services that are deployed to facilitate better healthcare. They now include consumers who also have access to these tools to attain higher standards of access to health services and allows smooth functioning of healthcare processes. New technology such as artificial intelligence, block-chain, virtual and augmented reality devices continue to improve, grow and unlock more value in healthcare. Technology forms a part, but not all of Digital Health. Other aspects — big data, analytic platforms, interoperability and integration, Internet-of-Things, Enterprise Architect and lastly governance, strategies and policies will help drive the movement even further.
How does it all come together?
While the focus of technology is still in medicine (usually where cash comes from), technology in rehabilitation devices is poised to grow with the rising prevalence of disability due to musculoskeletal pain, chronic diseases and ageing population. Trending technology in physical rehabilitation in various forms are growing with more evidence-based research and proof-of-concept ideas.
In time to come, there will be sharing of varied posts on technology that is used in physical rehabilitation, explanation of concepts involved in digital health, as well as exploring new technology that may work and integrate into healthcare. Look out for more post and subscribe to DigiTechPhysio.
