Why, What and When in-Home Physiotherapy?

Abstract

In the last decade, rehabilitation process has shifted from medical management to issues that enhance quality of life, community participation, treatment and cost effectiveness. In this context physiotherapists design and implement new and/or tailored interventions that enhance physical and functional abilities, restore, maintain, and promote optimal physical function, wellness, fitness and quality of life. The aim of this review was to assess the extent, content, and outcomes of in-home physiotherapy interventions. A search was conducted in Medline, PEDro, and Cochrane Library and IEEE Xplore. RE-AIM and GRADE guidelines were used to report this review. The findings suggest that in-home physiotherapy tailored specifically to the people needs, functioning and disability has positive results, including patients' engagement in their healthcare. Integration of information and communication technology in-home physiotherapy has great potential to increase accessibility, quality and effectiveness of various interventions provided by physiotherapists.