Establishment of emerging practices and research priorities for telerehabilitation in solid organ transplantation: meeting report and narrative literature review
Solid organ transplantation (SOT) is a life-saving procedure for those with end-stage organ dysfunction. The main goals of SOT are to improve quality of life and daily function, which are supported by pre- and post-transplant rehabilitation. In-person rehabilitation programs have traditionally been the standard-of-care for delivering rehabilitation for SOT patients. Many programs have adopted a virtual delivery model [telerehabilitation (TR)], an approach that has become increasingly used given restrictions to in-person delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presently, TR programs are being used both clinically and in research with variable practices. A 2-day virtual meeting held in February 2023 brought together over 30 Canadian adult and pediatric researchers, clinicians, and patient and family partners across SOT. The meeting objectives were: (1) To facilitate knowledge exchange and dialogue in TR between patient partners, healthcare professionals, researchers, and key stakeholders, and (2) Identify gaps in clinical practice and research in TR. The discussion focused on delivery methods of TR, digital tools, facilitators and barriers of TR, and the effects of TR on physical and mental health in both adult and pediatric populations. This meeting report incorporates a narrative literature review of SOT and rehabilitation articles in the last 20 years. Future directions in TR are highlighted leading to the development of key research priorities targeted towards improved delivery of TR in SOT patients.
Authors
- Lisa Wickerson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6128-8966)
- Karthik Tennankore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7919-6709)
- Nicholas Bourgeois (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5078-7775)
- Megha Ibrahim Masthan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1393-4523)
- Istvan Mucsi
- Dmitry Rozenberg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8786-9152)
- Rory D. de Vries (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2817-0127)
- Astrid M. De Souza (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9727-8142)
- Michael Khoury (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6112-6860)
- Puneeta Tandon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0486-0174)
- Diana R. Mager (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5558-8783)
- Sunita Mathur (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5564-9796)
- Ani Orchanian‐Cheff (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9943-2692)
- Robin Deliva
- Maoliosa Donald (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8484-8361)
- Anita T. Coté (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3838-5893)
- Sherrie Logan
- Sahar Sohrabipour (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2368-5594)
- Manoela de Paula Ferreira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3446-7752)
- Jennifer L. Reed (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4456-2526)
- Donna Hart
- Elaine Yong
- Tania Jaundis-Ferreira
- Sandrine Juillard
- Afsana Lallani
Institutions
- Western University (CA)
- Dalhousie University (CA)
- University Health Network (CA)
- University of Ottawa (CA)
- University of Alberta (CA)
- University of Calgary (CA)
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Queen's University (CA)
- Trinity Western University (CA)
- Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (CA)
- Hospital for Sick Children (CA)
- Translational Research in Oncology (CA)
- Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CA)
- BC Children's Hospital (CA)
- McGill University (CA)
- Université de Montréal (CA)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences
- Published
- 2025-03-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2025.1535138
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Transplantation: Methods and Outcomes
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 8.03