Ethical dimensions of digital technology-assisted physiotherapy: fundamentals for ethics education of physiotherapists

Educational Research Overview

Background and study aim: Nowadays, more and more digital technologies are used in physical therapy and rehabilitation, such as robotic rehabilitation, health apps and wearables, virtual reality for stroke rehabilitation, or telephysiotherapy. This development requires a new responsibility for physical therapists to critically examine the ethical aspects of digital technologies. To further develop the competencies of physiotherapists in the use of digital health technologies, the training of the skills required must keep pace with the development in the field.

This project aims to

1. scope of ethical dimensions that need to be considered by physiotherapists when using digital technologies in their practice and to identify ethical conflicts that arise within these ethical dimensions,
2. identify physiotherapists’ views on ethical dimensions of digital technology use and identify their needs related to knowledge and competencies,
3. develop case vignettes ethically relevant for physiotherapy practice, and
4. translate case vignettes into an effective toolkit for education to reflect on ethical questions.

Methodological approach: We plan to conduct 1) a scoping review on ethical conflicts arising in digital technology-assisted physiotherapy practice; 2) focus groups with physiotherapists and patients to explore their views on the ethical dimensions of digital technology-assisted physiotherapy and focused ethnography in various medical settings; 3) the development of case vignettes based on the results from studies 1 and 2 and their validation in an expert workshop and an online Delphi survey; and 4) the translation of the developed case vignettes into various educational material.

Expected results: This project will provide insight into the ethical dimensions of digital technology-assisted physiotherapy from both physiotherapists' and patients' views. These ethical dimensions will be adopted in case vignettes to be connectable on game-based learning tools (e.g., moral games). At the end of the project, a toolkit to use in ethics education will be available.

Principal Investigator:
Irina Nast, PhD, Prof. FH- Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) Institute of Physiotherapy - Unit for Research & Development
Co-Principal Investigator:
Mandy Scheermesser, M.A. - Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) Institute of Physiotherapy - Unit for Research & Development

Project Partners:

• Michael Ignaz Schumacher, PhD, Prof. FH - University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland Valais-Wallis (HES-SO), Institute of Informatics, Health Technology Innovation Center (HTIC) and Applied Intelligent Agents Lab (AISLab)
• Nikola Biller-Andorno, Prof. Dr. med. Dr. Phil. - University of Zurich (UZH), Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine (IBME)
• Anna Lisa Martin-Niedecken, PhD - Zurich University of the Arts, Institute for Design Research

Project Team IBME:

• Dr. Tobias Eichinger (IBME)
• Prof. Dr. Andrea Glässel (ZHAW/IBME)

Financed by: Swiss National Science Foundation - SNSF - Health and Wellbeing

Duration: 01.06.2024 – 31.05.2027