Authors (including presenting author) :
Lee C Y (1), Pong K W(1), Chan W Y (1), Cheung T Y (1)
Affiliation :
(1) Occupational Therapy Department, Tuen Mun Hospital, New Territories West Cluster, Hospital Authority
Introduction :
Telehealth has improved continuity of care at home, enhancing efficiency for Occupational Therapists and clients by eliminating travel time and increasing convenience (Tenforde et al., 2020). Community Occupational Therapy (COT) services for home modification enhance home safety and accessibility, requiring follow-up assessment to ensure the intervention meet patients’ evolving needs and support their activities of daily living. The growing adoption of telehealth for home modification follow-up indicates a transformation in service delivery. In this context, the Occupational Therapy Department of Tuen Mun Hospital conducted a patient satisfaction survey comparing tele-COT service to traditional on-site home visit.
Objectives :
This survey evaluated patient satisfaction with tele-COT and on-site home visit services, focusing on follow-up home modification. It aimed to assess service satisfaction, gather feedback, and identify areas for improvement to align future services with patient needs.
Methodology :
A tailored-made Likert scale questionnaire gathered feedback from service users comparing tele-COT and on-site home visit service. Other focus areas included (1) convenience, (2) ease of use, (3) scheduling flexibility, (4) service of therapy and communication, (5) privacy protection, and (6) future use of tele-COT. Open-ended questions were included for detailed feedback. All patients receiving COT services between 18/11/2024 and 03/01/2025 were invited. Tele-COT users completed the questionnaire via the HA-Go Platform, while on-site home visit users completed a written questionnaire after their session.
Result & Outcome :
A total of eleven patients received follow-up sessions during the survey period, either through home visits or tele-consultations, completed the questionnaire. The responses were analyzed to calculate mean satisfaction scores for both groups, and a t-test for comparison. Results showed no significant differences in satisfaction levels (P=0.106), though the tele-COT group reported higher mean scores in "convenience," "ease of use," and "scheduling flexibility."
The survey revealed comparable overall satisfaction level between tele-COT and on-site home visit, with tele-COT users reporting greater values in convenience and flexibility. These preliminary review echoed telehealth's benefits for application locally. However, the study's small sample size suggested need for further research with a larger cohort to better assess the potential impacts of tele-COT to service delivery model.
