Today is World Physiotherapy Day which is an opportunity to recognise the valuable work that our Remedy physiotherapists do for our clients.
Remedy Healthcare has over 100 physiotherapists across the country working in clinics, Residential Aged Care facilities, as well visiting people in the community.
To respond the changes brought on by COVID-19 there are now 50 physiotherapists delivering telehealth physiotherapy.
We spoke with Min Chiang, Physiotherapy Clinical Lead in our clinical quality team about her role and how her work has changed in recent months, in particular the move to telehealth services.
How has you day changed during COVID-19?
A lot more sitting and screen time! I have been trying to make an effort to log off on time at the end of each day and limit my screen time outside of work hours. For staff on the road, I think the main change has been that we need to continually screen our customers before every visit to make sure they are symptom free and not at risk of COVID-19. There have been a lot of other changes in process as well, and we have all had to get used to high levels of change.
What matters most to customers right now?
Staying safe, feeling connected and receiving the clinical care they need to remain safely at home. Many have been appreciative of the care we have continued to provide throughout COVID-19 and the measures we have put in place to deliver these services safely.
How are we supporting customers at this time?
Telehealth has been a great way to deliver the care our client’s need to remain safe at home and also reduce risk. It’s a flexible and effective alternative to receiving face to face visits for suitable clients.
We have also provided wellbeing calls to some of our elderly clients who may not have suitable technology for videoconferencing and are choosing to limit face to face visits. Staying connected with these clients has been a great way to continue providing support to them during this time.
For our other clients, we have been diligent with wearing personal protective equipment for each visit which has been a big change for us, but we know it makes our clients safer and that’s great for everyone.
What are customers saying?
They are so grateful we have been able to continue seeing them and providing a service. Many are feeling quite isolated from family and friends – especially in Victoria, so we might be their only visitor. Many of our clients have also found telehealth quite exciting and a great way to engage with their clinician. It has been a very memorable part of 2020 seeing customers of all ages and backgrounds engaging with this technology!
What’s the best part of your day?
The best part of my day is when I hear a golden moment about the telehealth sessions our clinicians have conducted. Most recently, it was to hear about a successful physiotherapy telehealth session with a client aged 104!! I feel really proud of my physiotherapy colleagues who have really gone the extra mile for their customers this year.
To find out more about the range of telehealth services we offer, and to make a booking, click here.