Should We Better Stick to Pen and Paper? An Empirical Investigation on Functionality, Privacy and Data-Security of Physiotherapy Telehealth Applications.

BACKGROUND: Telehealth and mHealth apps become increasingly popular in health professions such as physiotherapy calling for increased awareness on functionality, privacy, and data security. OBJECTIVES: This work presents a functionality, privacy, and data-security evaluation of four telehealth services commonly used in physiotherapy. METHODS: We examined functionality and features, data protection, privacy implementations and data-security with a questionnaire and performed an in-depth investigation of the services. RESULTS: Privacy and security relevant findings such as use of outdated webservers, problems with certificate renewal as well as questionable GDPR compliance were reported. CONCLUSION: Due to the privacy and security relevant findings in this analysis it can be concluded that there is a need for improvement in design, development, operation as well as regulation of telehealth apps and services.

Correction: Telehealth Education in Allied Health Care and Nursing: Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey of Students' Perceived Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes, and Experience.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/51112.].

Telehealth Education in Allied Health Care and Nursing: Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey of Students' Perceived Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes, and Experience.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the growing relevance of telehealth in health care. Assessing health care and nursing students' telehealth competencies is crucial for its successful integration into education and practice. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess students' perceived telehealth knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences. In addition, we aimed to examine students' preferences for telehealth content and teaching methods within their curricula. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional web-based study in May 2022. A project-specific questionnaire, developed and refined through iterative feedback and face-validity testing, addressed topics such as demographics, personal perceptions, and professional experience with telehealth and solicited input on potential telehealth course content. Statistical analyses were conducted on surveys with at least a 50% completion rate, including descriptive statistics of categorical variables, graphical representation of results, and Kruskal Wallis tests for central tendencies in subgroup analyses. RESULTS: A total of 261 students from 7 bachelor's and 4 master's health care and nursing programs participated in the study. Most students expressed interest in telehealth (180/261, 69% very or rather interested) and recognized its importance in their education (215/261, 82.4% very or rather important). However, most participants reported limited knowledge of telehealth applications concerning their profession (only 7/261, 2.7% stated profound knowledge) and limited active telehealth experience with various telehealth applications (between 18/261, 6.9% and 63/261, 24.1%). Statistically significant differences were found between study programs regarding telehealth interest (P=.005), knowledge (P<.001), perceived importance in education (P<.001), and perceived relevance after the pandemic (P=.004). Practical training with devices, software, and apps and telehealth case examples with various patient groups were perceived as most important for integration in future curricula. Most students preferred both interdisciplinary and program-specific courses. CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasizes the need to integrate telehealth into health care education curricula, as students state positive telehealth attitudes but seem to be not adequately prepared for its implementation. To optimally prepare future health professionals for the increasing role of telehealth in practice, the results of this study can be considered when designing telehealth curricula.

Real-Time Digital Feedback for Exercise Therapy of Lower Extremity Functional Deficits: A Mixed Methods Study of User Requirements.

BACKGROUND: Relearning physiological movement patterns is a key factor to success in the treatment of functional deficits. Motivation to train sustainably is essential for successful motor re-education and can be promoted by instrumentally supported real-time feedback. OBJECTIVES: Study findings should improve the understanding of real-time feedback visualization for exercises targeting the lower extremities. METHODS: A mixed-methods survey on recognition, comprehensibility, color scheme and shape of six real-time feedback prototype visualizations was conducted among three user groups (physicians, physiotherapists, and patients). RESULTS: The mean correct recognition of body regions visualized in the feedback was 55 %, ranging from 29 % to 74 %. Comprehensibility, color scheme and shape were best received for feedback with clear visual guidance, sympathetic and motivating color schemes and abstract visualizations of body regions. CONCLUSION: Insights were gathered for the design, optimization, and customization of visualizations to develop a real-time feedback prototype.