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116 JCPSLP Volume 14, Number 3 2012 Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology
and adult clients were reported to access SLP services via
telehealth with clinicians delivering a diverse range of direct
therapy. However, the results of the survey appear to show
a deviation from the emergent evidence base for telehealth
in SLP, with the majority of respondents using telehealth to
provide clinical treatment services to paediatric populations
despite a paucity of evidence in the literature. Clinicians
reported high levels of confidence and satisfaction in the
services they delivered via telehealth.
Respondents identified a range of benefits to using
telehealth in clinical practice and expressed a strong desire
to expand their telehealth services. However, significant
barriers to this expansion were identified especially in
relation to technology, telecommunication infrastructure,
and resources. Clinicians suggested a number of facilitators
for the further development of telehealth in SLP and these
comments require careful consideration by the institutions
responsible for the education of SLPs and the provision of
SLP services to all client populations. With the Australian
government showing interest in telehealth, now is the time
for education and training into the telehealth delivery of
SLP services so that our profession is ready to respond to
new technologies, new telecommunication infrastructure,
and client demands for alternative service delivery options.
Telehealth will be part of the future for SLP in Australia and
should be embraced to facilitate the increased access to
services that clients with communication and swallowing
problems require.
Acknowledgments
We thank the participants. We also acknowledge Speech
Pathology Australia, the heads of department at all
universities with SLP courses across Australia, and the
heads of SLP departments in Queensland Health and
Education Queensland for helping distribute the survey.
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