Patient's healthcare needs in the traditional and technological neuro-rehabilitation field: a survey methodological approach

Introduction In recent years, many robotic devices and technologies have been developed to support rehabilitation. These technologies have started penetrating clinical practice, and healthcare practitioners have started to be trained in their use, but only in selected healthcare environments. As a matter of fact, several barriers still exist for a wider dissemination of robotics-assisted rehabilitation, and little is known about the real needs of patients and their caregivers when they undertake a rehabilitation process. To address this issue a survey has been developed as a preparatory step for the effective use of robots and technologies in rehabilitation. The survey aims to identify and highlight patient's needs which are often unexpressed, enabling the co-creation of future rehabilitation solutions with patients and their caregivers. Methods The methodology for developing the survey involves reaching out to as many people with neurological disorders as possible, understanding their needs in relation to specific functional areas, and using innovative methods such as online platforms to maximize outreach. Common functional domains for different neurological conditions were developed with a holistic view of people with disabilities, using the categories and domains defined by the new International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Results Surveys addressed to patients, caregivers of adults and of children were developed by sharing the same content and exploring the rehabilitation carried out, both traditional and technological, with particular focus on the willingness to adopt technology, if not yet integrated in the current care. Discussion This approach aims to develop future rehabilitation strategies that utilize the increasing availability of neurorehabilitation technologies in a more effective and personalized way. This study highlights the importance of focusing on the fundamental role of addressing patients' needs in driving innovation and adoption of neurorehabilitation technologies, prior to clinical effectiveness. This is pivotal in identifying the specific desiderata, to co-create together with the end users new solutions to empower the patient-professional relationship and optimize the satisfaction related to the treatment and, as a consequence, the adherence to the intervention and its results.