Telehealth in Rehabilitation Psychology and Neuropsychology

Course overview

Course Description: This course is based upon material published in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America and is available as an open-access article. Although telepsychology had been in use for many years with good clinical and research outcomes, the demand for safety during the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the implementation of telehealth platforms and solidified their value in providing rehabilitation psychology care. Successful use of telepsychology for rehabilitation care requires close communication between administrative staff, patients, caregivers, and providers, including education, skills training, developing efficient workflows, on the spot problem solving, and backup plans to ensure the safety of all involved. Developing clear guidelines and screening processes is essential for identifying problems with patient access, technology capability, and clinical appropriateness, particularly for high-risk populations, such as patients with substance abuse and suicidality. Teleneuropsychological evaluation offers an innovative and feasible alternative to traditional in-person examination, although remote in-home evaluations are limited in the scope of testing and diagnostic conclusions. Continued use of telepsychology will be predicated on the development of sustainable billing and coding practices that reflect the complex aspects of rehabilitation psychology and neuropsychology care. This course on the use of telehealth in rehabilitation psychology and neuropsychology is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors, who do clinical work. In addition, this course is appropriate for intermediate and advanced-level practitioners who wish to develop their knowledge of the use of telehealth in rehabilitation psychology and neuropsychology. The course material includes a literature review of interventions. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require continuing clinical education courses for license renewal. Authors: Wells, Dukarm, Mills Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding the use of telehealth in rehabilitation psychology and neuropsychology. Specifically, a professional will: Recognize the characteristics of telepsychology and teleneuropsychology. Identify special considerations when starting telepsychology services. Describe the transition to telepsychology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Citation: Wells, M. J., Dukarm, P., & Mills, A. (2021). Telehealth in rehabilitation psychology and Neuropsychology. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, 32(2), 405-418. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmr.2020.12.009