400 Section - Feasibility, Usability, and Acceptability of a Therapist-Supervised Real-Time Telerehabilitation Program for Dysphagia: A Pilot Study

Objectives : This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of a therapist-supervised, real-time telerehabilitation platform for patients with dysphagia. It also explored whether structured remote swallowing therapy could serve as a practical and effective alternative to conventional face-to-face rehabilitation in settings with limited access to specialized care.

Design: Four adults with oropharyngeal dysphagia participated in a structured telerehabilitation program using a customized platform developed within this research project. The intervention consisted of real-time swallowing exercises and educational sessions conducted by an occupational therapist through an online video communication platform. Each participant received one 30-minute telerehabilitation session per week for four consecutive weeks. Swallowing function was evaluated before and after intervention using the Videofluoroscopic Dysphagia Scale (VDS), Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), and Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS). Usability and satisfaction were assessed through a 5-point Likert questionnaire and open-ended feedback addressing accessibility, interaction quality, and perceived benefit. All sessions were monitored for fidelity and participant safety.

Results: All participants demonstrated improvement in VDS and FOIS, while PAS improved in two participants. Usability scores ranged from 14 to 19 out of 20, and satisfaction scores from 17 to 25 out of 25, reflecting high user acceptance. Participants reported increased awareness of swallowing and satisfaction with therapist feedback. One participant noted improvement in voice quality. No adverse events occurred, and only one participant experienced minor difficulty adapting to the system.

Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrates that telerehabilitation for dysphagia is feasible, safe, and well-accepted. These findings suggest that real-time swallowing therapy delivered through an online video platform can be effectively supervised by professionals, supporting its potential as a patient-centered and accessible model for dysphagia management.