NSLHD’s virtual physiotherapy treatment
Physiotherapist Jason Levy provides care to patients from afar
When Rhonda’s bad fall led her to the emergency department at Royal North Shore Hospital, she underwent a full hip replacement and
spent six days recovering. On the afternoon of her discharge, she received an SMS telling her she had her first virtual physiotherapy appointment at 10am the next day. Rhonda said she was happy to be treated at home. “I didn’t want to go to a hospital again,” she said. She had six online sessions via her mobile phone with Jason Levy, a physiotherapist with the Northern Sydney Local Health District’s Virtual Care Service, which supports people needing urgent and acute care at home.
During her treatment period, Rhonda was sent exercises each week, and Jason would check if she was doing them correctly. Jason said seeing a patient in their home — even if it was via a screen — gave him a holistic perspective. “You can see them in their best physiotherapy also allowed the service to reach people who had issues getting to a clinic. He said he was used to people being confused about him being a “hands-off” physiotherapist. environment,” he said. Jason added that virtual
“When I say to people, I’m a virtual physiotherapist, they are like, ‘How does that work?’,” he said.
Across the board, NSLHD patient clinics have increased using
virtual care to look after patients in their homes — whether it be on the phone or via video.
22 NSLHD 2024 Year in Review
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