Stakeholder Perspectives on Telehealth Effectiveness, Facilitators, and Barriers for Wheelchair Service Provision: A Needs Analysis.

Abstract

Mobility impairments limit access to wheelchair services, especially in rural settings. Telehealth offers one potential solution to improve access. The purpose of this paper is to describe the current perceptions of telehealth wheelchair follow-up services among a select group working in the industry. A 35-question survey was completed by 32 stakeholders in the wheelchair industry to describe their perceptions of telehealth effectiveness, facilitators, and barriers for wheelchair provision and follow-up. Telehealth was generally perceived as effective for reaching rural populations, but specific subpopulations and technology requirements should also be considered. Respondents also indicated which Common Procedural Terminology (CPT) billing codes are commonly used for wheelchair services. The results of this survey will be used to design a quality improvement project within a rural healthcare system. This project will aim to improve access to wheelchair follow-up services via telehealth that are feasible and sustainable for the local healthcare system.