Research and Development of Content to Support Homecare Tracker Software Applications for Massage Therapy

在拜访注册按摩治疗师(RMT)之间进行指定的家庭护理活动和练习是康复过程中必不可少的部分。然而，许多患者没有遵守他们的家庭护理活动，原因有很多：不记得分配的活动，没有按照推荐的重复次数和练习时间进行练习，缺乏动力，在RMT的混乱书面指示后感到沮丧。为了应对这些挑战，Kelowna医疗按摩(KMM)于2018年与Okanagan College(OC)合作开发了一个原型软件应用程序，以帮助支持、监控和跟踪指定家庭护理活动的客户。这一应用研究项目包括开发、测试和评估桌面和移动软件应用程序，为少数肌肉骨骼疾病提供家庭护理活动，包括肩部冻结、足底筋膜炎和伴有颈部疼痛的紧张性头痛。桌面应用程序通过为患有上述肌肉骨骼疾病的患者提供一系列适当的家庭护理活动来支持RMTS。这款移动应用程序为患者提供了支持，为他们提供了预定的家庭护理活动提醒、活动视频说明、促进康复的提示，以及向他们的RMT提供有关规定活动的反馈的能力。RMT和客户的原型测试显示，90%的人会向其他人推荐使用这些应用程序。基于这些积极的结果，KMM寻求再次与OC接触，以进一步开发、扩展和完善这些应用程序。该项目的科学和技术目标是通过研究和确定与按摩治疗实践相关的其他肌肉骨骼状况和家庭护理活动，包括教学视频，在最初的应用程序的成功基础上再接再厉。KMM的好处包括能够使用最新的技术手段更有效地与客户接触，帮助改善和维护他们的健康和健康。这一创新将为KMM提供按摩治疗行业的竞争优势，成为第一家为客户提供此类在线按摩治疗特定家庭护理跟踪服务的诊所。

Performing prescribed homecare activities and exercises between visits to Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) is an essential part of the healing and recovery process. However, many patients fail to comply with their homecare activities due to a number of reasons: not remembering assigned activities, not doing the recommended number of repetitions and time duration for exercises, a lack of motivation and frustration following confusing written instructions from their RMT. To address these challenges, Kelowna Medical Massage (KMM) engaged with Okanagan College (OC) in 2018 to develop a prototype software application to help support, monitor and track clients who are prescribed homecare activities. This applied research project included development, testing and evaluation of desktop and mobile software apps providing homecare activities for a small number of musculoskeletal conditions: frozen shoulder, plantar fasciitis and tension headaches with neck pain. The desktop app supported RMTs by providing a selection of appropriate homecare activities for patients with the above musculoskeletal conditions. The mobile app supported patients by providing them with access to scheduled homecare activity reminders, video instructions for activities, tips to enhance recovery and the ability to provide feedback on prescribed activities to their RMT. Prototype testing with RMTs and clients revealed that 90% would recommend the use of these apps to others. Based on these positive outcomes, KMM seeks to again engage with OC to further develop, expand and refine the apps. The scientific and technical objectives of this project are to build on the success of the initial apps by researching and identifying additional musculoskeletal conditions and homecare activities, including instructional videos, relevant to massage therapy practice. Benefits to KMM include the ability to more effectively engage with clients using the latest technological means to help improve and maintain their health and wellness. This innovation will provide KMM with a competitive advantage in the massage therapy industry by being the first clinic to provide this type of online massage therapy-specific, homecare tracking service for clients.