The Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital has launched tele-rehabilitation services to ensure continuing treatment for patients who couldn’t visit the hospital during the pandemic.
The hospital has been providing rehabilitation services to patients, including children, affected with cerebral palsy, development delay, stroke, spinal cord injuries and other conditions. Doctors here have been offering physiotherapy exercises and other rehabilitation treatment for patients. Besides Salem, the centre at the hospital has been catering to patients from Namakkal, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Kalakuruchi and a few other places.
However, due to the pandemic, patients have been facing difficulties in reaching the hospital in person and undergoing treatment here. To ensure patients treatment is not affected during the pandemic, the hospital has launched tele-rehabilitation services through which they are trained in various exercises. About 30 patients are provided consultation through this at the moment.
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K. Nithya Manoj, Head, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation said, “doctors conduct video call sessions with patients and their relatives and they are shown exercises which they would be able to do from their homes during the pandemic. We conduct one-hour sessions twice a week for a patient and at times, we conduct group consultations as well for patients with similar conditions.”
K. Senthilnathan, Physiotherapist in the department, said that the progress of the patients are also periodically evaluated and they are advised to practice the exercises in their homes. The team includes two doctors, four physiotherapists, a prosthetic technician and an occupational therapist.
Dr. Manoj said that 13 children aged up to five years are also undergoing treatment through these services. She added that there is a period of neuroplasticity and delays or any discontinuity in treatment could affect patient’s recovery.
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Doctors said that therapists are currently contacting patients through their personal mobile devices and are working on arranging desktop computer systems and internet services.
Valli Sathyamoorthy, Dean of the hospital, said “ several patients are getting benefited through this and they are planning to continue the tele-rehabilitation services post the pandemic as well.”