Interprofessional online course for telehealth delivery of pediatric developmental services

PurposeThis study aimed to examine the effectiveness of an interprofessional telehealth course developed based on a collaborative needs assessment of professionals working in community-based child-development units.Materials and methodsNinety-six pediatric therapists, including psychologists, social workers, speech-language pathologists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists, participated in a 10-week, 30-hour online training on best practices in telehealth delivered according to adult learning theory guidelines. Participants reported their telehealth competencies before and after the training using a questionnaire developed for the study.ResultsRepeated paired t-tests showed significant increases with high effect sizes in participants' knowledge, attitudes, emotions, and willingness to use telehealth in their practices. However, at follow-up, the implementation rates remained low.ConclusionsOnline learning tailored to learners' needs can change knowledge, attitudes, and willingness to incorporate telehealth into routine care. Collaboration among regulators, foundations, professional associations, and clients attuned to health care's changing needs is essential to providing solutions and boosting the quality of rehabilitation services. However, providing knowledge alone is not enough: Sustainable implementation planning is essential for knowledge translation.