A lexicon of assessment and outcome measures for telemental health.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this document is to provide initial recommendations to telemental health (TMH) professionals for the selection of assessment and outcome measures that best reflect the impacts of mental health treatments delivered via live interactive videoconferencing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The guidance provided here was created through an expert consensus process and is in the form of a lexicon focused on identified key TMH outcomes. RESULTS: Each lexical item is elucidated by a definition, recommendations for assessment/measurement, and additional commentary on important considerations. The lexicon is not intended as a current literature review of the field, but rather as a resource to foster increased dialogue, critical analysis, and the development of the science of TMH assessment and evaluation. The intent of this lexicon is to better unify the TMH field by providing a resource to researchers, program managers, funders, regulators and others for assessing outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This document provides overall context for the key aspects of the lexicon.

Errata.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.5195/ijt.2021.6371.].

Errata.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.5195/ijt.2020.6328.].

American Telemedicine Association's Principles for Delivering Telerehabilitation Services.

Telehealth is a broad term used to describe the use of electronic or digital information and communications technologies to support clinical healthcare, patient and professional health related education, and public health and health administration. Telerehabilitation refers to the delivery of rehabilitation and habilitation services via information and communication technologies (ICT), also commonly referred to as" telehealth" technologies. Telerehabilitation services can include evaluation, assessment, monitoring, prevention, intervention, supervision, education, consultation, and coaching. Telerehabilitation services can be deployed across all patient populations and multiple healthcare settings including clinics, homes, schools, or community-based worksites. This document was adapted from the American Telemedicine Association's (ATA) "A Blueprint for Telerehabilitation Guidelines" (2010) and reflects the current utilization of telerehabilitation services. It was developed collaboratively by members of the ATA Telerehabilitation Special Interest Group, with input and guidance from other practitioners in the field, strategic stakeholders, and ATA staff. Its purpose is to inform and assist practitioners in providing effective and secure services that are based on client needs, current empirical evidence, and available technologies. Rehabilitation professionals, in conjunction with professional associations and other organizations are encouraged to use this document as a resource for developing discipline-specific standards, guidelines, and practice requirements.

Editors' Note.

The Spring 2016 issue of the International Journal of Telerehabilitation (IJT) presents original and innovative work in three diverse sections: usability, intervention, and pedagogy, followed by a book review on teleaudiology. The contributors to this issue are notably multi-disciplinary and include an audiologist, computer scientists, engineers, an epidemiologist, occupational therapists, a rehabilitation counselor, a physician (physical medicine and rehabilitation), and speechlanguage pathologists. The common thread linking the Journal's authors and their manuscripts, is excellence in telerehabilitation related innovation.

Editors' Note.

The Spring 2015 issue of the International Journal of Telerehabilitation (IJT) contains original research that analyzes provider perspectives on the use of telepractice to serve the families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Two case studies examine the utility of administering Facial Affect Training through telepractice to individuals with chronic traumatic brain injury. An article in IJT's policy section describes the process for the formulation of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) international telehealth position statement for occupational therapy. The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) consists of 84 member organizations representing over 420,000 occupational therapists internationally (WFOT, 2014). The Spring 2015 issue also contains announcements of upcoming conferences. As of May 2015, the International Journal of Telerehabilitation (IJT) is live on PubMed Central: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/2411/. Articles from all past issues were indexed, as will be the current and future issues.

Editors' Note.

The Fall 2015 issue of the International Journal of Telerehabilitation (IJT) presents original articles in the areas of Research; Privacy and Security; and Technology Review. As of May 2015, the International Journal of Telerehabilitation (IJT) is live on PubMed Central: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/2411/. Articles from all past issues are indexed, as will be the current and future issues.

Editors' note: volume overview.

The spring 2014 issue of the International Journal of Telerehabilitation (IJT) contains four informative and timely policy articles: (1) an invited commentary describing the exploratory process underway within physical therapy to create licensure portability for physical therapists, (2) an analysis of state telehealth laws and regulations for occupational therapy and physical therapy, (3) an overview of telehealth evidence and key telehealth policy issues in occupational therapy, and (4) the World Federation of Occupational Therapists' (WFOT) Position Statement on Telehealth. This issue also contains original research evaluating the feasibility of providing pediatric dysphagia treatment via telepractice, a clinical report of student learning outcomes associated with an innovative experiential learning assignment involving (international) teleconsultation in a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) curriculum, a book review, and announcements from the American Telemedicine Association.