português

Abstract

Introduction: Telehealth is about the use of information and communication technologies as a strategy to offer health-related services when the health professional and user are distant in terms of logistics. Telehealth brings different benefits, among them, the optimization of time, reduction of user flow in health centers, reduces the spread of contagion of infectious diseases, offers a possibility to reach difficult access, in addition to optimizing the offer of services to patients duly affected. Currently, the Federal Council of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy (COFFITO) conjectures three models of non-face-to-face assistance to the physiotherapist, which are teleconsultation, teleconsultation and telemonitoring. Objective: To describe the role of the physiotherapist in telerehabilitation in the face of the COVID 19 pandemic. Methodology: This is an integrative literature review, performing a search in two databases, PUBMED and LILACS, being carried out in the month of May 2023. Using the descriptors (DECS) “Physiotherapy” AND “telechealth OR telerehabilitation” and “Pandemic OR Covid-19. Clinical trials were included for analysis, complete texts, controlled and randomized tests, available in full online, and that were from 2018 to 2023 (last 5 years). Results: 15 studies were analyzed, most of them working in the area of ​​Cardiorespiratory in the pathology of COVID 19. All studies showed positive outcomes regarding the use of telehealth, evidencing its effectiveness as a treatment tool for physiotherapy. Final Considerations: More studies are needed to establish guidelines for carrying out telehealth in Physical Therapy.

Keywords: Telehealth; physiotherapy; COVID-19