@article{Rausch:8050,
      recid = {8050},
      author = {Rausch, Anne-Kathrin and Baur, Heiner and Reicherzer, Leah  and Wirz, Markus and Keller, Fabienne and Opsommer,  Emmanuelle and Schoeb, Veronika and Vercelli, Stefano and  Barbero, Marco},
      title = {Physiotherapists’ use and perceptions of digital remote  physiotherapy during COVID-19 lockdown in Switzerland : an  online cross-sectional survey},
      journal = {Archives of physiotherapy},
      address = {2021-07},
      number = {ARTICLE},
      pages = {10 p.},
      abstract = {Background : The Swiss containment strategy for the  COVID-19 pandemic during the first wave in spring 2020  resulted in a moratorium on non-urgent physiotherapy via  regular direct patient contact. Consequently, such  physiotherapy sessions declined by 84%. This study  investigates the impact of this moratorium on the use of  digital remote physiotherapy in Switzerland during this  period and the perceptions of its use by Swiss  physiotherapists (PTs).
Methods: 
A cross-sectional online  questionnaire was distributed between June and August of  2020 via the Swiss Physiotherapy Association (physioswiss)  and various associations of physiotherapy specialists  (e.g., sport, pediatric) working in both inpatient and  outpatient settings. The questionnaire was designed to  capture the demographics of participants and the  perceptions of PTs using 33 questions in the following  domains: Demography; Attitudes towards digital technology;  Private and professional use of digital technology; Use of  digital technology during therapy; and, Support  requirements. Closed and open-ended questions were included  and the frequency of answers was analyzed. Non-parametric  inferential statistics were used to identify differences,  where appropriate. The Checklist for Reporting Results of  Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES) was adopted.
Results:  
Participants in the survey were 742 PTs (23.5% male, mean  age of 43 years, mean working experience of 18 years) from  the German-speaking (75.5%), French-speaking (15.1%), and  Italian-speaking (9.4%) regions of Switzerland. The  percentage of PTs using digital remote therapy increased  from 4.9% prior to the lockdown to 44.6% during the  lockdown period. The majority of PTs did not consider that  digital remote therapy could complement usual physiotherapy  practice and did not plan to continue with digital remote  therapy after the pandemic.
Conclusions: 
During the  lockdown, Swiss PTs adopted various low-cost and easily  accessible digital technologies. However, several barriers  hampered further implementation of this modality. Specific  education and training programs need to be provided among  PTs, appropriate digital technologies should be introduced,  and a correct reimbursement scheme should be  developed.
Trial registration: 
COVIDPhysio Registry of  World Physiotherapy, registered 15th June 2020  (https://world.physio/covid-19-information-hub/covid-19-covidphysio-registry).},
      url = {http://arodes.hes-so.ch/record/8050},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s40945-021-00112-3},
}