Our clinical team at Morinville Physical Therapy made the decision to stop offering in-clinic treatments to patients on March 17, 2020. Given the escalating cases of COVID-19, we felt it was the responsible thing to do to keep our patients and community safe. Since our closure, we have been working hard to implement a service known as virtual care Physical Therapy or Telehealth. It is a modern form of rehabilitation that is done over a secure videoconferencing platform. We normally treat in a very hands-on/manual way but we needed to find a way to help our patients and still respect the “physical distancing” recommendations to do our part to flatten the curve.
What exactly is Virtual care Physical Therapy and how can we do it?
Virtual care Physical Therapy is the delivery of essential health services using secure videoconferencing. When we schedule a session with you, you will get clear and easy directions sent to you by email as to how and when we get to connect. Using a computer, laptop or even just your phone we can connect and communicate. Telehealth has been around for a long time; a study on Telehealth has shown the use of it has increased by 52% between 2005 and 2014.
What are the Benefits of Virtual Care Physical Therapy?
Telehealth allows us to connect with you when otherwise assessment and treatment would not be available. It allows us to assess and treat you in the comfort of your own home. It is an easy and convenient way to allow you access to care in times such as now when face to face treatment is not available. Studies have found that Telehealth is effective in both the improvement of physical function and the reduction of pain.
What can we do for you using Virtual Care Physical Therapy?
For current Patients we can:
o Check-in with you regarding your current condition
o Continue to progress your current exercise and treatment program
o Direct possible self-treatment techniques such as soft tissue release and joint mobilizations using movement
For new Patients we can:
o Take a detailed history; through asking the right questions and follow up questions, experienced therapists are able to come up with a probable diagnosis (a study found the agreement in diagnosis between in-person Physical Therapy assessment and a Telehealth assessment to be 93.3%)
o Use directed movements and self-administered physical tests to confirm our probable diagnosis
o Direct possible self-treatment techniques such as self soft tissue release and joint mobilizations using movement
o Prescribe an appropriate exercise program and guide you through progressions in subsequent treatments
o Provide important education on pain science and relief
o Work with you to develop an appropriate plan for your treatment and recovery
How Do I book?
You can contact the clinic at 780-939-5150. We continue to have staff there from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Also, in an effort to be as reachable as possible during this time, the clinic now has a mobile phone that will be rotating between Physical Therapists. You can reach us on this mobile phone at 587-991-5150. We also have added the option to book online from our website. Again, with just one click we can send you an invitation to join us in a Virtual Physical Therapy session.
We at Morinville Physical Therapy are committed to continuing to help our community despite not being able to see them in person. Most major insurers (including WCB, Alberta Blue Cross, Medavie Blue Cross, ASEBP, Sunlife and Canada Life) believe the same and have approved the use of Telehealth to care for clients at this time. We are committed to continuing to help our community. If you are curious, but unsure of, the idea of Telehealth, we are offering 20 minute consults in exchange for a donation to your local food bank. We can show you the platform, discuss your progress and see if this type of treatment is a fit for you. We look forward to seeing your faces again!
You can visit Morinville Physical Therapy online at https://morinvillephysio.com.
