Harnessing the Power of Interactive Technology in Rehabilitation

Date of Recording: June 2016

Technology affects every aspect of our lives, including healthcare. We now have faster, smaller, and more powerful healthcare technology than ever before, and at a fraction of past costs. Very small, very affordable sensors now measure everything from activity level to vital signs on a 24/7 basis. Clothing is currently available that incorporates several of these sensors and can be washed thousands of times. In addition to physiological monitoring, this material also measures physicality and changes in position. 

These kinds of wearable technologies provide data that can be gathered, viewed, and analyzed on a moment-to-moment basis. These collected data are beginning to be used to create interactive clinical technology utilized by rehabilitation therapists. For example, prosthetic, robotic, and even virtual reality devices receive information from sensors and change their actions accordingly. This interactive functionality modifies how persons served behave, move, and function.  

In this webinar, we will discuss the exponential advances in technology and their influence on medical rehabilitation. We will then explore the current and near future clinical use of this interactive technology. In this process, we will discuss some of the challenges and opportunities of using technology to achieve the triple aim of quality care, population health, and lower cost healthcare.

Learning Objectives: 

• Discuss the opportunities and benefits of using interactive technology in medical rehabilitation.
• Compare the clinical utility of three different technologies currently in use within medical rehabilitation (virtual reality, robotics, and telehealth).
• List four potential risks associated with using interactive technology for medical rehabilitation.
• Describe some of the pros and cons of interactive technology in rehabilitation now and in the near future.

Presenter Information: 

Robert Latz, PT, D.P.T., CHCIO, is the only physical therapist in the United States to complete the requirements to receive the Healthcare CIO certification from College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME). Dr. Latz received his bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Montana and his doctorate in physical therapy from Boston University. 

Dr. Latz is active with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) as the chair-elect of the Technology Special Interest Group of the Health Policy and Administration Section. Within the National Association for the Support of Long Term Care (NASL), he is the co-chair of the IMPACT Act Implementation Workgroup and an active member of the Information Technology Committee. 

Currently, Dr. Latz is the chief information officer for Trinity Rehabilitation Services, which improves human function by providing contracted therapy services in post-acute care settings.