COVID-19 and physiotherapy's new normal

Sat in on a great webinar on Embodia with a panel of clinicians, educators, clinic owners, and students today. I left feeling more positive about working during the crisis than I have in weeks. It was inspiring to hear different perspectives from physios ready to answer the call and take on the crisis head on and embrace our new normal rather than bide our time and hope that life will simply go back to the way things were.

What will our new normal look like? Patients and therapists wearing PPE, fewer in clinic visits, fewer clinicians in clinic, and a heavy emphasis on virtual therapy. Many people will view this as a challenge and shirk from it. The innovators and the game changers will see it as an opportunity. It is a chance to grow our profession and prove the value that we provide as physiotherapists.

Providing telehealth during the pandemic has solidified the fact that we provide SO much more than what we do with our hands. I have yet to have a telehealth patient who hasn't let the session feeling as satisfied as they would with a clinic visit. We're spending more time empowering patients to self-manage because we HAVE to and the results have been phenomenal. I truly believe that those who provide virtual care will come out of the crisis more versatile, more adaptable, with kick-ass "soft skills" that will grow their practice like wild.

The soft skills are what keep people coming back. They're what drive our referral systems. They let your patients know that you understand what they're going through and that you're in their corner. You can have lumbar PPIVMs that would make an FCAMPT weep tears of joy at your technical prowess but they aren't worth a damn if you patients don't think you care about them.

So if you're feeling lost as a clinician like I have at times during the crisis, try to change your frame of reference. By looking at this as an opportunity rather than a crisis we will grow, and grow, and grow. Who knows where our practices will end up when the dust settles. Better care for rural patients lacking physiotherapy access? More online rehabilitation classes? Virtual triage for determining the need for in clinic visits? Who knows--the possibilities are endless and the opportunities are exciting. Lean into the uncertainty with me and I will see you all on the other side!

#telehealth