As the healthcare industry continues to grow, the approach to patient care continues to change thanks to technology-driven solutions. Hybrid care has emerged as a powerful approach that has demonstrated itself to be highly effective when improving patient outcomes.

Learn more as we discuss the ins and outs of hybrid care, the benefits, and how it is revolutionizing physical therapy and patient care.

What is Hybrid Care?

Hybrid care in physical therapy consists of a blend of in-person and virtual care for patients to manage injuries and conditions. Using this model allows patients to receive the best quality care without being restricted to a clinic or physical location. Because of telehealth physical therapy and virtual care, PTs can use these technological advances through mobile apps or online platforms to monitor progress and address patient concerns between in-person visits.

Hybrid care is revolutionizing physical therapy by not only addressing the physical aspects of rehabilitation but also providing patients with an approach that is adaptable to each patient’s unique needs and ailments, regardless of their proximity to a clinic.

How Can Hybrid Care Benefit Patients?

Hybrid care provides numerous benefits for patients that go beyond the traditional PT model. Here are some of those advantages:

Accessibility

One of the advantages to utilizing hybrid care is its ability to access patients in ways beyond in-person visits. Hybrid care enables patients to engage with physical therapy from home, overcoming barriers like travel time or transportation costs. Utilizing hybrid care has become a growing demand, particularly with patients in rural or underserved areas or where healthcare facilities may be limited.

Additionally, hybrid care can be a desirable option for patients who are looking for a more flexible option to physical therapy. With virtual care sessions, PTs can offer the freedom to receive therapy without being restricted to the confines of regular clinic hours, which can help encourage a work-life balance without sacrificing quality of care.

Improved accessibility means that physical therapists can help patients stay on track and work towards successful clinical outcomes without needing to be hampered by a care schedule that is impacted by the number of miles a patient has to drive for each visit.

Patient Engagement and Accountability

Hybrid care can also be beneficial as it places additional responsibility on patients to be active participants in their recovery journey, not just when they’re in the clinic for a visit. Patient engagement and accountability can be monitored using the tools available to track their progress and set reminders for exercises. When patients are encouraged to stay on track with their treatment plans, it can not only empower them but also lead to better outcomes as they participate in their prescribed exercises at home at a regular interval. Moreover, PTs can use hybrid care by sharing additional tools and resources with patients to keep them motivated between visits.

Monitoring Data-Driven Insights and Patient’s Progress

Another advantage to using hybrid care is that PTs can monitor patients’ behavior and activity levels, providing them with the valuable insights needed to fine-tune key components of the treatment plans and ensure optimal outcomes based on how the patient is progressing while at home and between in-person visits. By using these tools, physical therapists can identify trends and adjust one’s treatment plan as they see fit. Without hybrid care, this level of detailed assessment would be challenging to achieve with in-person sessions alone.

What to Be Cautious of When Dealing with Hybrid Care

While hybrid care provides a plethora of benefits, it can also come with its set of challenges. One of the main challenges for physical therapists to be aware of is the patient’s technological abilities. In some cases, patients may struggle with adapting to the technology that comes with hybrid care without face-to-face support and the setup time can be lengthier than a simple in-clinic visit.

However, physical therapists can manage these issues by providing patients with additional guidance and instructions needed to communicate with them outside of the office to stay on track with their treatment plan.

The bright side is that the quality of care and communications between the patients and physical therapists does not have to be sacrificed because of the implementation of hybrid care. If PTs communicate effectively with their patients and provide them with the instructions needed to properly use these tools, they can continue to foster an environment that promotes positive clinical outcomes for their patients.

Moving Forward with Hybrid Care

The hybrid care model has the capacity to continue to revolutionize the world of physical therapy and ultimately healthcare. As technology advances, telehealth physical therapy and other virtual care options will continue to advance and provide patients with effective at-home care experiences and reduce the barriers to care based on proximity to a nearby clinic.

Hybrid care continues to cultivate a patient-centered approach that prioritizes convenience, engagement and motivation, and increased accessibility to high quality care.

Elevate Patient Care with Upstream Rehabilitation

Are you ready to be part of a team that uses innovations similar to hybrid care to continue to provide patients with quality care? Upstream Rehabilitation is the place for you! Hybrid care is one of the many exciting pilots were running across the company as we work to and deliver optimal patient outcomes. If you’re a physical therapist or new graduate who values cutting-edge technology and high-quality care for patients, we would love to have you on our team.

Join us as we continue to elevate the standard of care, push new heights, and make a lasting impact on the lives of our patients and beyond. Browse and apply to clinical and non-clinical PT job opportunities/a> and become a part of the future of physical therapy today at Upstream!

 

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  4. Pilosof, Nirit Putievsky et al. “Designing for flexibility in hybrid care services: lessons learned from a pilot in an internal medicine unit.” Frontiers in medical technology vol. 5 1223002. 20 Nov. 2023, doi:10.3389/fmedt.2023.1223002
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