Innovation in technology is essential to the advancement of humanity. Physiotherapy is a vibrant and rapidly growing field. We already have access to information and communication technology (ICT), which may be used to improve clinical practice, education, and research. Change is the only thing that is constant in our life. Can you guess what is always with us around the clock? You are correct, Smartphone. Physiotherapists can use this as one of their tools to advance clinical practice, research, and education. The recently popularized flipped classroom concept allows for the utilization of lecture time for skill development and allows students to attend lectures on their smartphones/laptops at home.
ICT for Physiotherapy Education: Students can learn through blogs, videos, and educational websites. Use of search engines like Google, Yahoo, Rediff, DuckDuckGo, Bing, etc. For example, Google offers YouTube, Google Scholar, Google Docs, Google Translate, Google Drive, Blogger, AdWords, images, meet, etc can be utilized for updating. ICT: Increases motivation of the students and fosters interactivity, communication, and creativity.
ICT For Physiotherapy Research: PT databases like PUBMED, Science Direct, J-Gate, Ovid, Pedro, Cochrane, Medline, Embase, DARE, LILACS, and Cinhl can be used to improve research in our field. Websites of reputed organizations like WHO, WCPT, PAHO, AHA, NZMA, ADA, BTS, ACCP, and ATS can provide valuable information to enhance research. Plagiarism detector software: Turnitin, Urkund, i-thenticate, etc. English Grammar Checker: Grammarly, Paraphraser tools: Quill Bot. Citations generator tool: Mendeley can be used, and can improve the productivity, speed, and accuracy of research. Websites of different PT Associations can be of help in knowing what’s new in our field, like the American Physical therapy Association, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Canadian physiotherapy association, etc.
ICT For physiotherapy clinical practice, there is software like Chanakya, Clinic Source, Phydeo, The Digital Office, Best PT, PT Live, Blue Bubble Physio, Practice Perfect, 5-Minute Consult, Adibas Posture, and WebPT. Commonly used android applications include physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy help guides, physiotherapy quiz, physio, physiotherapists, arthritis physio, walk-on physiotherapy, physical therapy jobs, PT content masters, pocket physio, and home physio. Healthcare-providing agencies include Portea Home Health Care, Practo, India Heartbeat, Lybrate, and Justdial. ICT helps to promote patient-centered health care, improve the quality of care, and educate healthcare professionals and patients. Be the updated version of the Physiotherapy Field and use ICT to Improve outcomes in teaching, treating research, and administration.