How significant do you think it would be to a patient receiving physical therapy, if they had the option to complete sessions from home? Telerehabilitation sessions, which not only optimized their recovery rate, but removed the need to travel to their physical therapist?
By using TeamViewer, in conjunction with innovative physical therapy products, MediTouch is able to offer patients personalized physical therapy sessions from the convenience of their own home.
Without the necessity of travel, as a result, patients save a huge amount of time, money and hassle.
Additionally, patients’ recovery speed is increased, thanks to a consistency of approach that was not possible before.
Innovating in rehabilitation
The ability to engage in physical therapy from home is of huge benefit to patients. However, it’s not without challenges in connecting therapists virtually in a way that is affordable, effective and secure.
MediTouch designs and creates innovative telerehabilitation systems. Their products utilize wearable motion capture devices in combination with interactive games technology and specialist software to take physical therapy sessions into the patient’s home.
MediTouch’s HandTutor™ was released in 2008, as the first product of its kind to deliver home-based physical therapy sessions with customized software.
The HandTutor™ helps patients recover by using a specially designed glove, which interacts with the physical therapy program in a similar way to how a computer tracks the movement of your mouse.
Providing regular check-ins with therapists
The next challenge MediTouch faced was being able to provide patients with regular check-ins with physical therapists.
Previously, the only way to accomplish a virtual therapy session involved an expensive and complicated set up of cameras and equipment – prohibiting its commercial viability.
Alan Waterman, International Sales Manager for MediTouch, explained that they use Windows PC software and “needed a compatible solution that would not require a closed-network system so we would not have to provide an expensive camera to conduct the physical therapy sessions,”
“We needed to be able to see the patient and adjust the rehabilitation needs in real-time in a way that was inexpensive to us and the patient.”
Setting criteria for a solution
An internet connection was already a requirement for the software to transmit vital feedback to the therapist for monitoring progress.
With this already in place, the next step was to look into the possibility of remote access as a means to connect patients and therapists directly – with the intention to make use of webcams instead of expensive camera equipment.
MediTouch defined these criteria for the solution they required:
- It must be compatible with MediTouch software
- Costs must be kept low for patients and therapists
- Instant communication between patients and therapists
- One-to-one sessions must be possible
- It must be completely secure
Connecting patients with therapists
With these criteria defined, it was clear to Mr. Waterman and the team that TeamViewer was a match.
“We looked at a couple of remote viewing offerings but after we did a trial of TeamViewer, we realized it fit our exact needs.”
“TeamViewer flawlessly integrated with our software. Our physical therapists are able to log on and instantaneously start a telerehabilitation session with the patients. Overall, the process of connecting is effortless for both the patient and therapist.”
MediTouch patients are now able to participate in personalized one-to-one physical therapy sessions from home using TeamViewer with their therapist, optimizing their rate of recovery.
MediTouch continues to help countless patients with neurological and orthopedic injuries and diseases.
Mr. Waterman concludes,
“The TeamViewer technology gives MediTouch the capability to inexpensively connect one-on-one with patients and make a difference in how quickly they can regain or maintain optimum functionality.”
Discover how MediTouch implemented TeamViewer to remotely connect patients and physical therapists in the full case study.
