Remote Home Visit for Occupational Therapy

Feasibility and Acceptability of Remote Home Visit for Occupational Therapy Assessments Using Digital Technology

• Home assessments are important for occupational therapy, but declining due to resource constraints.
• A 3-month service development project explored the use of digital technology for remote home assessments.
• Four work streams were used to explore feasibility and acceptability: real-world testing, user consultations, case studies, and resource use exploration.
• Occupational therapists, patients, and public representatives were recruited for the project.
• Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, while quantitative data provided descriptive statistics.
• The remote home visit concept was found to be feasible in four specific contexts.
• Acceptability depends on visitor safety, training, induction, and standardization of practice.
• Potential benefits include resource savings, personalization, and integration of care.
• Barriers to acceptance include data security, governance, technology failure, and threat to occupational therapists' role and skills.
• Applying digital technology to occupational therapy home assessment appears feasible and acceptable within a specific context.
• Further research is recommended to develop the technology and investigate perceived benefits in wider contexts and stakeholder groups.
• The study was a collaboration between occupational therapists, university academics, and computer scientists.