About this Research Topic
The development of digital applications and remote communication technologies for patients with neurological conditions has increased rapidly in recent years, complementing traditional in-clinic approaches and bringing benefits to both patients and health care providers (HCPs). For patients, such eHealth apps have been shown to improve outcomes and increase access to care, disease information, and support. These apps also help patients to participate actively in self-management, for example, by tracking adherence to treatment, changes in mobility, bladder and bowel habits, and activity and mood. For HCPs, eHealth technology may facilitate assessment of clinical disability, remote monitoring of patient's symptoms, adverse events, and outcomes; may allow time optimization and more timely intervention than is possible with scheduled face-to-face visits. These benefits are important because chronic neurological conditions require ongoing monitoring, assessment, and management. eHealth solutions for these patients fall within the four categories of screening and assessment, disease monitoring and self-management, treatment and rehabilitation, and advice and education. In particular, the use of technology for remote assessment and intervention in rehabilitation has grown exponentially.
Telerehabilitation includes evaluation, assessment, monitoring, prevention, intervention, supervision, education, consultation, and coaching. There is no formal structure for the delivery of telehealth, and the exchange of data may occur in numerous forms. Telephone, messaging and e-mail, or multimodal systems, such as videoconferencing, virtual therapists, and interactive Web-based platforms are some examples. In the field of rehabilitation, the patient-centered team approach has guided the identification of ad hoc solutions to overcome geographic, temporal, social, and financial barriers. In the in-patient setting, telerehabilitation may be used to shorten hospital stay, facilitate discharge home, and provide patient and caregiver education and support; in the outpatient setting, telemedicine may supplement traditional physical therapy or cognitive rehabilitation or replace them when they cannot be easily accessed.
This Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Reviews, Case Reports, short article types and others. The aim of the collection is to advance the state of knowledge and expertise in the field of eHealth technology applied to chronic neurological disease, from the clinical evaluation to either motor or cognitive rehabilitation.
Keywords: Digital Technology, Neurological Disease, Cognitive Rehabilitation, eHealth, Telemedicine
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.