Perception of Korean Speech-Language Pathologists on Telepractice Service

Kim, Na Yeon; Ha, Ji-Wan; Park, Ki-Su; Lee, GilJoon; Park, Su Na; Bae, Ye-Seul; Kim, Na Yeon; Ha, Ji-Wan; Park, Ki-Su; Lee, GilJoon; Park, Su Na; Bae, Ye-Seul

doi:2020.25.4.987

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Commun Sci Disord. 2020;25(4): 987-997.
Published online December 31, 2020.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12963/csd.20776

Perception of Korean Speech-Language Pathologists on Telepractice Service

Na Yeon Kim^a

^aDepartment of Speech and Language Pathology, Graduate School of Rehabilitation, Daegu University, Gyeongsan, Korea
^bDepartment of Speech-Language Pathology, Daegu University, Gyeongsan, Korea
^cDepartment of Neurosurgery, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea
^dDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
^eDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, Korea
^fNeopons Inc., Daegu, Korea

Corresponding Author: Ji-Wan Ha ,Tel: +82-53-850-4327, Fax: +82-53-850-4329, Email: jw-ha@daegu.ac.kr

Received October 20, 2020 Revised: November 20, 2020 Accepted November 20, 2020

ABSTRACT

Objectives
Telepractice is the application of telecommunication technologies in health and medical services. This survey study focused on Korean Speech-Language Pathologists’ (K-SLPs) perception of telepractice service.
Methods
321 K-SLPs participated in this survey. The survey consisted of the respondents’ basic information, and their experiences, perception, future direction and needs regarding telepractice, the survey data were analyzed using descriptives statistics and chi-squared tests.
Results
Only 19 of the respondents used telepractice. Most of them were willing to participate education programs. Respondents with more clinical experience were more likely to think that telepractice is not equivalent to traditional therapy. And they also tended to think that the use of telepractice depends on the characteristics of clients. Respondents felt that reading and fluency disorders were the most appropriate subjects, and swallowing disorder and hearing impairment were the least appropriate for telepractice. The subject’s cognitive and behavioral characteristics were selected as the most important consideration for telepractice.
Conclusion
This study will improve the perception of K-SLPs regrading telepractice, and provide practical information and directions necessary for building a new system.

Keywords: Telepractice | Korean speech-language pathologist (K-SLP) | Survey