Voice therapy in the home of the patient using videoconferencing
Jenny Holmberg, Åsa Lindqvist
Long distance voice therapy has during the past two years been trialed and evaluated in the county of Västerbotten, northern Sweden. Using videoconferencing and special equipment for treatment in patients´ homes, therapy was possible despite long travel distances to Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP).
The equipment was installed in patients´ homes via broadband or wireless connection for 2-3 weeks. Between therapy sessions led by the SLP patients could work independently with videotaped exercises accessible via the equipment. Apart from the meeting form treatment was in all comparable to traditional treatment face-to-face.
Out of 36 patients, 27 answered a questionnaire in which all of them (100%) were satisfied with treatment efforts and felt they achieved good contact with the SLP. SLP:s also experienced advantages as they felt patients focused and were more relaxed and prepared for treatment sessions than in treatment face-to-face. The equipment itself acted as a reminder to practice also between sessions.
Negative aspects of the use of home equipments mainly had to do with logistics; transportation costs and increased administration. There was also a greater risk of being disturbed in the home setting where family members or telephone calls could steal focus.
In all, the medium was no obstacle for successful voice treatment. Both patient and SLP quickly became familiar with the technique. With videoconferencing to overcome geographical distances, the aim to offer all inhabitants equal access to SLP services, is reachable.
Jenny Holmberg & Åsa Lindqvist, Speech and language pathologists Department of Speech and language pathology University hospital of Umeå
901 85 Umeå
Sweden
Phone: +46 (0)90 785 14 63 Fax: +46 (0)90 77 24 70
jenny.holmberg@vll.se asa.lindqvist@vll.se