Remote assistance in physical therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a reflection on the challenges and opportunities in the Brazilian context

Abstract

On March 11, 2020, Covid-19 was characterized by WHO as a pandemic. In this context, different councils from the health professional categories have adopted initiatives in the use of communication technologies as a means of providing services at a distance. Specifically for physiotherapy, the Federal Council of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy (COFFITO) made possible the modalities of teleconsultation, teleconsulting and telemonitoring. This work analyzes, in a preliminary way, guidelines to provide physiotherapists who provide teleconsultation, telemonitoring or teleconsulting, a structure that will help to guarantee the safety and quality of their practice in the context of emergency to the social withdrawal caused by the pandemic by COVID-19. The set of recommendations presented below aims to protect the health of professionals in the area and the population in general, establish conditions for remote care and safeguard the excellence of physical therapy assistance provided by the category to Brazilian society.