Paving the road for more ethical and equitable policies and practices in telerehabilitation in psychology and neuropsychology: A rapid review.

BackgroundTelerehabilitation (TR) has been increasingly used to deliver psychological and neuropsychological care remotely, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. As health services continue to shift toward telehealth, ensuring ethical and equitable TR delivery is essential to establish sustainable TR models.ObjectiveThe objective of this review is to synthesize existing evidence on the ethical and equity-related benefits and pitfalls associated with the use of TR in a psychological and neuropsychological context for individuals with physical disabilities.MethodsThis rapid review included reviews (2010-2020) and original studies (2020-2023) that focused on TR interventions for people with physical disabilities in the context of psychology and neuropsychology rehabilitation.ResultsA total of 16 reviews and 82 original articles were included. Key ethical concerns centered around privacy, confidentiality, caregiver burden, and clinician-patient relationship quality. Equity concerns centered around access disparities (e.g., geographic location, income), digital literacy, and demographic underrepresentation.ConclusionThis review is part of a pan-Canadian initiative aimed at informing policy development and clinical practice in TR. Findings highlight the need for clear guidelines and targeted interventions to ensure that TR in psychology and neuropsychology is both ethically sound and equitable.