Exploring future possibilities of using information and communication technology in multidisciplinary rehabilitation after stroke – a grounded theory study

Background: Using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) could increase the intensity of rehabilitation, the level of patient activity and participation in everyday life after stroke and is in line with having a person-centred approach. Aim: To explore how healthcare professionals use and could potentially use ICT to enable a person-centred rehabilitation process after stroke. Methods: Six individual and two focus group interviews were conducted with a group of healthcare professionals working within rehabilitation after stroke. A grounded theory approach was used to collect and analyze the data. Results: The professionals described their current use of ICT as well as their vision of how ICT could be incorporated as a tool in rehabilitation for sharing in four categories: (1) Sharing of information, (2) Collaborating from a distance, (3) Having transparency in the documentation and (4) Supporting patients’ use of ICT. Conclusion: Professionals state that using ICT solutions in rehabilitation after stroke could increase sharing between professionals and their patients and increase patient participation in the rehabilitation process. Significance: This study highlights the importance of developing ICT that healthcare professionals could use along with a person-centred approach. The results will be used to develop an ICT-supported multidisciplinary intervention for rehabilitation after stroke.