Virtual rehabilitation, leveraging technologies to deliver services like evaluations and treatments remotely, is rapidly gaining traction as a solution to increase access to care for individuals with disabilities.

During the COVID- 19 pandemic, many regions around the world saw a surge in its adoption. However, to ensure its ethical and equitable use, key issues remain including the digital health literacy of both clinicians and patients, inadequate infrastructure, limited resources, and many others. Our guiding principles are:

Ethical Analysis

Study current virtual rehabilitation best practices, especially those developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, across various settings and patient groups

Review & Challenges

Investigate the present use of virtual rehabilitation in Canada. Understand the barriers, supports, and needs that affect the delivery of quality and ethical services.

Stakeholder Feedback

Gather insights from all involved parties, like patients and caregivers, about their experiences, challenges, and needs to ensure ethical and quality care.

Collaborative Approach

Work together with stakeholders to establish guiding principles and create supportive tools.

Rapid Reviews

Rapid Reviews are conducted to investigate the present use of virtual rehabilitation, and understand the barriers, supports, and needs that affect the delivery of quality and ethical services

Surveys

Three surveys for telerehabilitation users: clinicians, patient and caregivers.

Focus Groups

Interviews and Focus Groups with clinicians, patients and caregivers will allow us to better understand how telerehabilitation is used in real-care settings across Canada.

Building Consensus

Building a community of practice and providing tools to help improve telerehabilitation use for all.

Team

Dahlia Kairy

Dahlia Kairy

Pht, PhD

Lead researcher

Université de Montréal

Anne Hudon

Anne Hudon

Pht, Phd.

Lead researcher

Université de Montréal

Jennifer Sigouin

Jennifer Sigouin

Ph.D.

Coordinator

CRIR, IURDPM, CIUSS du Centre-Sud-de-Montréal

Sabrina Cavallo

Sabrina Cavallo

Ph.D. ; Professeure adjointe

Co-researcher

Université de Montréal

Sara Ahmed

Sara Ahmed

Pht., Ph.D. ; Associate professor.

Co-researcher

McGill University

Simon Beaulieu-Bonneau

Simon Beaulieu-Bonneau

Ph.D. ; Professeur agrégé

Co-researcher

Université Laval

Carol Hudon

Carol Hudon

Ph.D. ; Professeur titulaire

Co-researcher

Université Laval

Lisa Sheehy

Lisa Sheehy

PT, Ph.D. ; Affiliate Investogator

Co-researcher

Bruyère Research Institute

Reg Urbanowski

Reg Urbanowski

MScOT, EdD ; Dean

Co-researcher

University of Manitoba

Rosalie Wang

Rosalie Wang

PhD. Associate professor

Co-researcher

University of Toronto

Claudine Auger

Claudine Auger

Ph.D. ; professeure agrégée

Co-researcher

Université de Montréal

Marie-Josée Drolet

Marie-Josée Drolet

Erg., Ph.d; Professeur titulaire

Co-researcher

UQTR

Martine Lévesque

Martine Lévesque

Ph.D. ; Professeure adjointe

Co-researcher

Université de Montréal

William C Miller

William C Miller

PhD, FCAOT ; Professor

Co-researcher

University of British Columbia

Kadija Perreault

Kadija Perreault

Pht., Ph.D. ; Chercheuse

Co-researcher

Université Laval

Hardeep Singh

Hardeep Singh

MScOT, Ph.D. ; Assistant professor

Co-researcher

University of Toronto

Mirella Veras

Mirella Veras

PT, Ph.D, Assistant Professor

Co-researcher

University of Manitoba

Ingrid Verduyckt

Ingrid Verduyckt

Ph.D. ; Professeure agrégée

Co-researcher

Université de Montréal

Walter Wittich

Walter Wittich

Ph.D. ; Professeur agrégé

Co-researcher

Université de Montréal

Isabelle Gaboury

Isabelle Gaboury

Ph.D. ; Professeure titulaire

Co-researcher

Université de Sherbrooke

Zachary Boychuck

Zachary Boychuck

Ph.D. ; Course Lecturer

Co-researcher

McGill University

Stacey Lovo

Stacey Lovo

MSc, PhD; Assistant Prof.

Co-researcher

Saskatchewan University

Michelle Nelson

Michelle Nelson

Ph.D. ; Associate professor

Co-researcher

Sinai Health and University of Toronto

Chantal Robillard

Chantal Robillard

Ph.D. ; Professeure associée

Co-researcher

UQAM

Michel Tousignant

Michel Tousignant

Vice-Doyen

Co-researcher

Université de Sherbrooke

Claude Vincent

Claude Vincent

Erg., Ph.D. ; Professeure titulaire

Co-researcher

Université Laval

Diana Zidarov

Diana Zidarov

Ph.D. ; Professeure associée

Co-researcher

Université de Montréal

Andrea MacLeod

Andrea MacLeod

Ph.D. ; Professor,.

Co-researcher

University of Alberta

Collaborators

Jennifer O'Neil, Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa, School of Rehabilitation Sciences

Hardeep Singh, Assistant Professor, University of Toronto, Rehabilitation Sciences Institute

Louis-Pierre Auger, Research Assistant, Project Coordinator, School of Rehabilitation, Université de Montreal

Virginie Cobigo, Full Professor, University of Ottawa, Department of Psychology

CIRA, Centre for Innovation and Research in Aging

Nahid Norouzi Gheidari, Research assistant, McGill University

Ordre professionnel de la physiotherapie du Quebec

Alizee Znaty, Physiotherapist

Catherine Provost, Health Professional

Denis Pelletier, Physiotherapist