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Video: Virtual visits make an impact for patients, occupational therapy students

Apr 24, 2021 05:05AM ● By Editor

Watch the WDIO-TV Report here

Telehealth is making a big impact for occupational therapy students at CSS and their patients.  Photo: WDIO-TV


From WDIO-TV - April 24, 2021

Telehealth has really grown during the pandemic. And it's helping connect even more patients with services at St. Scholastica's maurices Community Clinic.

Bill Mayo is relearning how to bait a fishing hook, after going through two strokes. The Two Harbors man spent some time during a virtual session on Tuesday, maneuvering the hook and bait.

"We were hesitant at first to come in for therapy during the pandemic. And then we were reluctant to do the sessions over Zoom. But now, it has turned out to be the most productive occupational therapy we've ever had. Because it's in his own home, and he's working on making coffee with his own coffee maker in our own kitchen," explained his wife, Kitty Mayo.

The woman who's helping him on the other side of the screen is Morgan Harpel. "It was very rewarding today. I spent a lot of time preparing for this session. My grandfather is an avid fisherman. I was able to ask him about adaptive ways to fish," she told us. She's a first year student in the occupational therapy program.

Students have been learning how to help patients both in-person and virtually. The pandemic really pushed the virtual services into reality.

"We've actually been able to double the impact of services in our program this spring, as a result of introducing this new type of delivery," shared Dr. Christine McConnell, clinic manager for the OT program.

There are clinical practice educators like Adrianne Osmundson who supervise the students and provide any assistance. "It's amazing to watch the students and how creative they are. They come up with interactive Power Point presentations and Google doc presentations, and interact with clients," she said.

The maurices Community Clinic offers free services to the under and uninsured. And they will have some summer services available:

218-625-4897 or click below:

http://www.css.edu/locations/health-science-center/maurices-community-clinic.html


To see the original report and read related stories, follow this link to the WDIO-TV website. https://www.wdio.com/news/virtual-visits-telehealth-occupational-therapy-students-st-scholastica-pat...

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