Digitally Designing Prostheses by Collaborative Care: Can Telehealth Work for O&P?

According to the Mayo Clinic, telehealth is “the use of digital information and communication technologies, such as computers and mobile devices, to access health care services remotely….” Telehealth systems are designed to connect patients with a broad range of wellness care; the current systems, however, have limitations for O&P. They are designed to upload the type of information required for physicians to diagnose conditions but fall short in supporting the broad range of tangible inputs required for our field. Currently, telehealth is cerebral and not physical, so it struggles with the hand skills used in O&P care.