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Wright Physical Therapy experience with Telehealth

Posted at 8:00 PM, Jun 23, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-23 22:00:00-04

TWIN FALLS — Across the nation, medical facilities have had to adapt to continue serving their patients. Wright Physical Therapy has experienced this change and has reached its patients through Telehealth. Telehealth is a way for doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and more within the healthcare field, to have contact with whoever they're treating through electronics and other digital means. The facility has been utilizing this valuable tool since mid-April.

However, the Wright Physical Therapy center falls under the guise of a treatment center and is considered an essential service. This has allowed the facility to remain open throughout quarantine. Treating patients daily, the center has plenty of protocols to make it a safe environment for in-person treatment. Workers wear face-masks, clean surfaces and equipment regularly, practice hand hygiene, and maintain social distancing. These guidelines have been instated since the pandemic started and continued to be applied today.

It's essential now to have these policies because there has been an increase in in-person treatment. The recent influx of patients is partially due to the rebound plan, and because certain operations that were not able to occur during quarantine are now resuming, forcing many to need physical therapy.

The adjustment to Telehealth was tough at first, learning the programs' ins and outs, but it is now operating smoothly. "One hundred percent of the people that have used Telehealth through us that we have reached out to say, 'It's actually very effective at answering questions that I have' and giving me direction as to what I can do until I come back in the clinic," stated founder and CEO, Bryan Wright.

While Telehealth has been resourceful, physical therapy is a hands-on profession resulting in a small percentage of patients utilizing the program. Despite the low numbers, Telehealth's importance is very notable by still being able to reach people who may not be able to access the center's services regularly. The online platform has enabled people even beyond Idaho to take advantage of this specific center's treatment.

Wright stated, "I've had people unexpectedly reach out to our company from different states in the United States trying to ask for help through Telehealth. So we're now seeing more people say hey I've read your blogs, or I have seen you on social media, and I really want to get your treatment."

The overall benefit of Telehealth is immense, and Wright Physical Therapy is aware of its importance. They plan to continue providing their Telehealth services for the future, even once the pandemic has ended.