Telehealth

Staying connected through telehealth

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Pearson has a growing number of products that may be appropriately used for telehealth under certain conditions

Telehealth today

Regardless of our profession, title, or location, we all have one thing in common — a need to stay connected. As we begin to move forward into our collective “new normal”, maintaining that connection to those depending on you is paramount, and in many cases telehealth may be the answer you’re searching for.

If you are implementing or considering telehealth, please consult your professional organisations, and regulations regarding telehealth. Please review this additional information (PDF) before proceeding.

We’ve compiled a number of resources to help support your telehealth needs. Here you’ll find information on using specific products, administration tutorials, and a Newsroom with updates, news, and announcements about the latest developments in telehealth

What is telehealth (a.k.a. telepractice)?

In short, telehealth allows for continuity of care when in-person sessions are not practical or feasible.

Whether you’re familiar with it as telehealth, telepractice, telemedicine, or remote testing – the common theme is this: our customers want to know how to continue to deliver clinical, speech, occupational therapy, behavioral health, and psychoeducational tools and assessments to students and clients at home.

Telehealth links clinician to client for assessment, intervention, and/or consultation via telecommunications. It includes a growing variety of applications and services using videoconference, email, smart phones, wireless tools, and other forms of technology.

Watch an example of intervention and assessment within a telehealth session from Pearson's Connections Education group

In 2010, the American Telemedicine Association published a sample set of guidelines for telehealth.

A Blueprint for Telerehabilitation Guidelines

How does telehealth work?

Step 1: Understand your guidelines and requirements

This may not be the most fun part of the process, but you are responsible for understanding guidelines and requirements from your national professional association as well as local laws and regulations for your practice, and for assessment specifically.    

Consult your national professional organisation’s website regarding telehealth. You will be able to find guidelines and considerations for providing ethical and effective telehealth services. 

Step 2: Choose a platform

Take a close look at different teleconferencing services/packages that provide a picture-in-picture display and online tools that enable you to share your screen, use annotation tools, etc.   

The practitioner is still responsible for:  

Performing a risk analysis as part of security management processes  

Maintaining secured hard copies of documents on file (“secured” = “locked”) so that the information is only accessible/visible to authorised individuals  

Ensuring that hardware/software has security features so that files transmitted electronically are using secure systems (encrypted); only authorised individuals are present in sessions (secure login); and confidentiality is maintained regarding the client’s information and records.  

In general, numerous platform options exist. It’s often possible to have a trial version of a platform before you choose one that best fits your needs.  

Step 3: Before conducting your first assessment

Again, best practice includes checking your professional organization’s website for training information, continuing education, professional resources, and/or participation in special interest groups within the organization.

Before conducting your first assessments, you will need to: 

Practice administering each assessment you use in a telehealth environment before you test your first examinee. 
Identify appropriate candidates for a remote test administration. 
Prepare the facilitator who will be with the examinee at the remote site (if applicable). 
Troubleshoot basic connection or technical issues. 
Practice, practice, practice!

Five Factors: Considerations for a positive assessment administration

Telehealth environment/equipment  
- Establish a quiet setting free from distractions. 
- Use a headset with a boom mic.  
- Discontinue testing if tech issues persist.
Assessment Procedures & Materials   
- Manage stimulus materials. 
- Verify ability to record examinee’s responses.
Examinee Considerations 
- Think about examinee testing needs. 
- Give the examinee breaks to play a game or have a discussion. 
- Ensure only authorized individuals are present in the session. 
- Try to minimize distractions such as phones, other children, loud noises, etc. 
- Consider any special testing needs. 
Examiner Considerations  
- Be prepared. 
- Be clear on directions to examinees. 
Other Considerations  
- Consider the purpose of evaluation/clinical context. 
- Identify type of assessment (screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring).

Step 4: Conducting your first assessment

There are a few ways you can continue to provide support for your clients/students through telehealth.

1. Q-global — Remote On-Screen Administration (ROSA)

If you are currently using Q-global, Report Usages allow you to generate score reports for tests that are administered using Remote On-Screen Administration (ROSA). Depending on the type of assessment, you have two options:  

Send the assessment in advance of a telehealth session and have the client fill it out on their own. 

Send the assessment during your telehealth session so you can monitor the client while they are filling it out. 

Remote On-Screen Administration 

2. Q-global – Digital Administration Materials in the Resource Library

The Q-global Resource Library holds a multitude of digital stimulus books, manuals, and additional administration materials for your use in telehealth contexts. To use the stimulus books and other administration materials remotely, refer to the guidance in the “Using Your Digital Assets on Q-global” file in the Resource Library General folder for those products that have digital assets. Details about accessing these assets for a greatly reduced cost is available on our Q-global page.

Watch one of our on-demand tutorials to see how Q-global can help you stay connected when you can’t meet face-to-face.

Q-global Demo

3. Q-interactive

If you already have a Q-interactive subscription, you can provide remote administration by following these instructions: 

Log into QI Central and create or select a client.  
Assign assessment(s) to the client and send to the iPad. 
Log into QI Assess on the iPads. 
Log into a telehealth platform (e.g., Zoom, Hangouts, etc.) 
Mirror the client/examinee iPad on to your computer.  
Screenshare the mirrored client/examinee iPad on your computer through your telehealth platform to show the stimulus item(s). 
Advance through the test items, following prompts on the practitioner iPad. 
Record the examinee response (verbal, by use of the mouse, or visual touch documented by facilitator) to each item on the client iPad.

Please note that this scenario requires significant technical skill, additional software, and extensive practice. 

View this video for more information on using Q-interactive in Telehealth

Step 5: After the assessment