In this edition, we’ve compiled several studies that revolutionise and improve the quality of people’s lives. From fresh technologies in rehab therapy to findings from allied health studies, these are the new knowledge our multidisciplinary team cares about sharing with you. Here are the headlines.
Allied Health Improving the Lives of Musculoskeletal Patients in the UK
Earlier this year, a study in the UK expanded on the crucial role of mental wellness in treating patients facing musculoskeletal conditions. Plenty of evidence already exists on psychological interventions bettering patients’ outcomes and comfort. Hence, this study recommends the implementation of physiotherapists and occupational therapists as a low-cost way to improve MSK services.
Telehealth Framework to Guide Allied Health Professionals
There’s no denying that allied health professionals represent a large portion of the healthcare workforce in the UK thanks to their wide range of skills. However, during the COVID-19 experience, it became apparent that telehealth guidelines and programmes could not adequately support remote patients. So developing a policy is the best way for policymakers, allied health professionals, and clinical services to establish the foundational pillars for further patient consultation guidelines.
Is Virtual Physiotherapy and Exercise Physiology in Rural Australia a Possibility?
As we’re still dealing with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, a research study in Australia proposes increasing accessibility to allied health services for rural populations. It’s no secret that people living in rural areas often face the biggest hurdles in accessing healthcare services. For them, virtual healthcare presents itself as a viable alternative to address the lack of access. As such, this study proposes access to adequate resources before virtual care and the establishment of a hybrid model with in-person and virtual consultations to serve communities better.
Tapping Into Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) via Mapping Process
In healthcare, one often hears how proper EMR management helps allied health practitioners and professionals provide the high-quality service patients need. Concept mapping creates a visual representation that identifies areas that need prioritisation and optimisation. And determining which elements in EMR could use improvement, whether in training for end-users or capacity handling, could prove valuable for allied health. Check out the findings of this study for more details.
The Role of Evidence-Based Practice in Speech-Language Therapy
Limited implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) has been clinging to the speech-language pathology profession for a while now. For some, this limitation impacts the development of this healthcare discipline when stacked against others. To alleviate this issue, Eastern Michigan University and George Washington University researchers banded together for a qualitative study regarding the way speech-language pathologists use EBPs. Ultimately, speech-language pathologists weighed the importance of external factors more than other EBP components to guide and validate their clinical decisions.
Implementing Self-Care and Home-Based Management of Hypertension
Around mid-February, a thought-provoking review paper was published online on various factors for the treatment of hypertension, mainly those related to self-care and home-based management of this condition. The results showed multiple themes that could lead allied health professionals to inform patients how to better treat this condition at home. At the same time, the study also identified contrasting elements that might influence self-care, suck as inadequate knowledge and follow-up care.
What’s Better for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Physiotherapy Alone vs Physiotherapy Paired With Acupuncture
According to the results of this randomised clinical trial published around mid-April, acupuncture plus physiotherapy might hold the upper hand here. Carpal tunnel syndrome can cause severe pain and numbness in the hand due to the pressure on the median nerve. Although acupuncture has proven its efficacy in treating this condition in the past, this study aimed to demonstrate how useful it could be when paired with other physical therapy methods like bone and neural mobilisation, exercise, and electrotherapy.
Improving the Quality of Life of Adult Heart Failure Patients Through Telemonitoring
As we move further into the year, in late March, a new paper popped up online about the advantages of implementing telemonitoring to treat heart failure. It focuses on improving patients’ lives through self-care and effective telemonitoring programs. Through systematic literature review and independent revisers, this paper seeks to implement fundamental intervention strategies for heart failure patients to have a better life.
Controlled Acupuncture for Military Veterans
Post-traumatic stress disorder tends to be higher in military personnel and veterans than in other people. Since they’re closer to traumatic events like death, injury, or sexual violence, people in this field tend to suffer PTSD the most. Around mid-to-late April, a scoping review emerged, proposing using a novel first-line treatment, acupuncture, to help these individuals overcome the limitations of PTSD. So the study aims to help develop disaster-site-specific research protocols for future clinical trials with the obtained data.
Establishing a Trustworthy Living Systematic Review for Non-Radicular Cervical Spine
Non-radicular cervical spine stands out as being considerably pain-producing. And diagnosis can prove to be a challenging process. As such, this April-published piece proposes the establishment of a trustworthiness determinant that professionals can use to generate research agendas on patients with this condition. Hence, these agendas should help them identify the potential clinical utility of manual therapy.
Brain Rehabilitation Through Music Therapy
Therapeutic interventions involving music are nothing new, but recent studies may confirm that their role in brain injury rehabilitation could be vital. This brief paper establishes its findings in stimulating the brain’s reward system and motivation aspects, thus beneficial for patients initiating or progressing through a therapeutic intervention from an injury. Although short, this paper proves that live music-making, singing, and rhythmic stimulation can help exercise both motor and cognitive functioning.
Till The Next One!
Allied health professionals make a difference in the quality of medical outcomes. With the continued advancement of technology and the discovery and development of new techniques and studies, we strive to fortify the movement towards a higher quality of life and standards in our practices.
Don’t miss out on news on rehab therapy, preventative healthcare, and our team, get the newsletter in your inbox from this sign-up link: https://bit.ly/twwoahnewsletter.
Feel free to share your knowledge and expertise with us. We are open to direct referral to our therapy services and are happy to discuss your cases.
