Users' Needs in Telehealth Speech-Language Pathology Services

Telehealth, as a provision of health care at a distance by usage of ICT, has also found its application in speech-language pathology (SLP) services. There are many advantages of remote usage of SLP services like extending the treatment or reaching remotely located people who need a treatment at affordable cost. While in the developed countries SLP telepractice is becoming common, there is little evidence about their usage in transitional and developing countries. This paper presents the findings of a survey conducted among SLP professionals and their clients in Croatia. The research results provide insights into the profiles of these two categories of SLP users regarding their computer literacy as well as their needs and preferences in using remote speech-language services. These findings present an important input for development and implementation of telerehabilitation approaches into environments that still lag behind developed countries.