Paving the Road for More Ethical and Equitable Policies and Practices in Telerehabilitation in Psychology and Neuropsychology: Protocol for a Rapid Review.

Background: Virtual rehabilitation, or telerehabilitation (TR), has exponentially evolved in the last few years, gaining particular momentum since the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to a new reality of strict restrictions of physical contact necessitating the shift from in-person health services to tele-health visits, TR has seen widespread adoption. In this context, ensuring ethical and equitable TR services is crucial for establishing sustainable TR models for psychology and neuropsychology into health care systems. This requires complete and consistent guidance for clinicians and patients involved.

Objective: The objective of this study is to synthesize existing evidence to provide timely insights on potential ethical and equitable benefits and pitfalls associated with the use of TR in a psychological and neuropsychological framework.

Methods: A rapid review of TR practices will be conducted specifically within the context of neuropsychology and psychology rehabilitation. We will include review articles published between 2010 and 2020 as well as original articles published between 2020 and 2023, all addressing TR issues with a main focus on neuropsychological and/or psychological rehabilitation activities. This research protocol describes the methodology, including search strategy, screening process, data extraction, and analysis methods.

Results: Guided by an experienced librarian, the search strategy was designed and performed in 3 relevant databases. Articles were screened in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and data were collected by 2 independent reviewers. Data extraction is underway, and we expect to complete the rapid review in January 2025.

Conclusions: This study is part of a broader cross-Canadian initiative aimed at informing policy development and clinical practices in TR. By evaluating the ethical and equitable considerations specific to psychology and neuropsychology, this review aims to contribute to help shape future TR practices to ensure access to high-quality, accessible TR services supporting diverse patient needs in psychology and neuropsychology.

International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/66639.