%0 Journal Article
%T Telerehabilitation In South Africa ¨C Is There A Way Forward?
%A Maurice Mars
%J International Journal of Telerehabilitation
%D 2011
%I University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
%R 10.5195/ijt.2011.6069
%X South Africa, like the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, has a disproportionate burden of disease and a shortage of health professionals. Telemedicine has been identified as a possible way of overcoming part of the problem but telemedicine has not been widely adopted. In the public sector hospitals in South Africa which serve 82% of the population there are 2.5 physiotherapists and 2 occupational therapists per 100,000 people served. The extent of telerehabilitation in South Africa is unknown. A literature review of telerehabilitation found no papers from South Africa. A survey of the heads of university departments of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language pathology revealed limited knowledge of telerehabilitation. Telerehabilitation services are confined to follow-up of patients at some institutions by telephone, fax or email. There is need to raise awareness among therapists if telerehabilitation is to become a reality in South Africa.  Future actions are outlined.
%U http://telerehab.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/Telerehab/article/view/6069