Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Feb 12, 2021
Date Accepted: Dec 3, 2021
Web portals for patients with chronic diseases: A scoping review of the functional features and theoretical frameworks of telerehabilitation platforms
ABSTRACT
Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic has called for a new need for rehabilitation activities applicable to patients with chronic diseases. Telerehabilitation has several advantages, including gaining self-management skills and reducing clinic visits by patients vulnerable to infectious diseases. Several digital platforms have been developed and used in the context of eHealth. Whereas web portals for medical use have existed for years, the technology in telerehabilitation remains a novel method.
Objective:
The purpose of this scoping review was to determine functional features of web portals developed for telerehabilitation in patients with chronic diseases, as well as any characteristics that can be observed through the functional features of the web portals.
Methods:
PubMed and Web of Science were reviewed to identify articles associated with telerehabilitation. Of the 307 non-duplicate articles reviewed, 17, involving seven portals, were retrieved for the scoping review. The functional features, targeted diseases, and theoretical frameworks of these portals were studied.
Results:
All seven portals were web applications targeting either cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), or cystic fibrosis. Monitoring/data-tracking function was the most common feature. The function of education, communication, diary, goal settings and participant-reported outcomes (PROs) were also found in more than one portal. Theoretical frameworks included self-determination theory, cognitive-behavioral principles, operant conditioning, motivational interviewing, a pathway-based care model and communities of practices.
Conclusions:
The web portals could unify and display multiple types of data and could effectively provide various types of information, including rehabilitation instructions and education materials. Data acquisition, however, often required assistance from other digital tools. Several patient-centered functions were found. Six of the seven portals were related to one or more theoretical frameworks. These findings suggested that web portals for telerehabilitation not only provided entrance into rehabilitation programs but also reinforced participant-centered treatment, adherence to rehabilitation, and lifestyle changes over time.
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