ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Due to growing pressure on the healthcare system, a shift in rehabilitation to the home setting is essential. However, efficient support in home-based rehabilitation is still lacking. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these challenges, and affected individuals and healthcare professionals during rehabilitation. Digital rehabilitation (DR) could support home-based rehabilitation. To develop and implement DR solutions that meet the clients' needs and ease the growing pressure on the healthcare system it is necessary to give an overview of existing, relevant and future solutions shaping the constantly evolving market of technologies for home-based DR. OBJECTIVE: This scoping review identifies digital technologies for home-based DR, predicts new/emerging DR trends and reports the influences of the COVID-19 pandemic on Digital Rehabilitation. METHODS: The scoping review followed the framework of Arksey and O'Malley with the improvements of Levac et al. A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Cochrane library. The search spanned from January 2015 to January 2022. A bibliometric analysis was performed to give an overview of the included references and a co-occurrence analysis identified the technologies for home-based DR. A full-text-analysis of all included reviews filtered the trends for home-based DR. A grey literature search supplemented the results of the review analysis and revealed the influences of the COVID-19 pandemic regarding the development of DR. RESULTS: 2.437 records were included in the bibliometric analysis, 95 for full-text-analysis and 40 as a result of the grey literature search. Sensors, robotic devices, gamification, virtual and augmented reality, and digital/mobile applications are already used in home-based DR, but AI/machine learning, exoskeletons, and digital/mobile applications represent new/emerging trends. Advantages and disadvantages were displayed for all technologies. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased use of digital technologies as remote approaches, but has not led to the development of new technologies. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple tools are available and implemented for home-based DR, but some technologies face limitations in the application of home-based rehabilitation. However, AI and machine learning could be instrumental in redesigning rehabilitation and addressing future challenges of the healthcare system, and the rehabilitation sector in particular. The results show the need for feasible and effective approaches to implement DR that meet clients' needs and adhere to framework conditions even regardless of exceptional situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABSTRACT
In the wake of local initiatives and developmental funding programs, interprofessionality is now included in national curricula in the German-speaking countries. Based on the 3P model (presage, process, product), this position paper presents the development of interprofessional education in recent years in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and places it in an international context. Core aspects as legal frameworks, including amendments to occupational regulations as well as the formation of networks and faculty development are basic requirements for interprofessional education. New topics and educational settings take shape in the process of interprofessional education: patient perspectives and teaching formats, such as online courses, become more important or are newly established. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on interprofessional education is explored as well. Among many new interprofessional courses, particularly the implementation of interprofessional training wards in Germany and Switzerland are positive examples of successful interprofessional education. The objective of interprofessional education continues to be the acquisition of interprofessional competencies. The main focus is now centered on evaluating this educational format and testing for the corresponding competencies. In the future, more capacities will be required for interprofessional continuing education and post-graduate education. Structured research programs are essential to ascertain the effects of interprofessional education in the German-speaking countries. In this position paper the GMA committee on interprofessional education encourages further advancement of this topic and expresses the aim to continue cooperating with other networks to strengthen and intensify interprofessional education and collaboration in healthcare.
ABSTRACT
In the wake of local initiatives and developmental funding programs, interprofessionality is now included in national curricula in the German-speaking countries. Based on the 3P model (presage, process, product), this position paper presents the development of interprofessional education in recent years in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and places it in an international context. Core aspects as legal frameworks, including amendments to occupational regulations as well as the formation of networks and faculty development are basic requirements for interprofessional education. New topics and educational settings take shape in the process of interprofessional education: patient perspectives and teaching formats, such as online courses, become more important or are newly established. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on interprofessional education is explored as well. Among many new interprofessional courses, particularly the implementation of interprofessional training wards in Germany and Switzerland are positive examples of successful interprofessional education. The objective of interprofessional education continues to be the acquisition of interprofessional competencies. The main focus is now centered on evaluating this educational format and testing for the corresponding competencies. In the future, more capacities will be required for interprofessional continuing education and post-graduate education. Structured research programs are essential to ascertain the effects of interprofessional education in the German-speaking countries. In this position paper the GMA committee on interprofessional education encourages further advancement of this topic and expresses the aim to continue cooperating with other networks to strengthen and intensify interprofessional education and collaboration in healthcare.