Delivering rehabilitation services during the COVID-19 pandemic: How CAF Physiotherapy is using telehealth to ensure physical and measurable solutions to maintain and enhance operational readiness, anywhere, anytime

In response to COVID-19, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) activated Operation LASER, a force health protection strategy to preserve its operational capabilities. Operation LASER resulted in a quarantine of healthy CAF members to minimize the risk of contraction and transmission of COVID-19. The physical distancing inherent to quarantine challenged Canadian Forces Health Services to adapt its health care delivery. CAF Physiotherapy responded by integrating telehealth to maintain provision of essential primary health care services. A modified After-Action Report was used to capture preliminary telehealth experiences of Defence Team physiotherapists since the activation of Operation LASER. To date, seven Physiotherapy Officers and six civilian physiotherapists, have delivered a total of 196 assessments lasting an average of 45 minutes, and a total of 765 follow-ups lasting an average of 25 minutes. Most respondents reported no previous experience or formal training providing telehealth. Most respondents reported delivering telehealth by telephone and acknowledged challenges, including non-standardized patient instructions, inadequate equipment, unsuitable environments, and limited patient feedback. To maximize the quality of telehealth delivery, respondents recommended standardizing patient instructions, establishing suitable work environments, and using telephone headsets, videoconferencing, and digital exercise software. These recommendations are an investment in the capacity of CAF Physiotherapy to maintain rehabilitation services in the post-COVID-19 environment.