Question 1

How does QVARI telehealth work?

Accepted Answer

QVARI’s telehealth service is designed to gather meaningful information and provide useful occupational therapy input in a way that is structured and purposeful.

Depending on the referral, telehealth may involve discussion about the person’s goals, routines, supports, and current concerns, observation of function within the home or everyday environment where appropriate, coaching and education for the participant or support people, guided task-based activities completed during the session where suitable, review of collateral information from relevant stakeholders, and follow-up planning, recommendations, or strategy development.

Some referrals may be suitable for telehealth from the outset. Others may require additional screening, a hybrid model, local support on the ground, or in-person input instead.

Question 2

How does QVARI work to make telehealth meaningful?

Accepted Answer

We understand that telehealth is different from in-person service delivery. Rather than making broad claims, QVARI focuses on building the right structure around telehealth so that it can be as useful, practical, and as clinically sound as possible for the referrals we accept.

Our approach may include careful screening before telehealth begins, consideration of whether the referral is appropriate for remote service delivery, clear clinical reasoning about what can and cannot be done safely and meaningfully online, use of observation, guided activities, and collateral information rather than relying on conversation alone, involvement of family, carers, or support workers where appropriate, and clear processes for privacy, consent, participation expectations, and escalation where needed.

Our focus is on using the right method for the right referral.

Question 3

Who may telehealth be suitable for?

Accepted Answer

Telehealth may suit people who are able to participate in an online appointment independently or with support, have goals that can reasonably be explored through discussion, observation, coaching, education, or guided activity, would benefit from involving a family member, carer, or support worker in the session, or live in areas where in-person services are limited, delayed, or harder to access.

It may also suit people seeking occupational therapy input that can be provided safely and meaningfully without needing face-to-face assessment at that stage.

Telehealth suitability is always considered on a case-by-case basis.

Question 4

When might telehealth not be the right fit?

Accepted Answer

Telehealth is not appropriate for every referral.

There may be times when QVARI recommends an in-person service, a local therapist or provider, a hybrid approach, or additional information and screening before proceeding.

This may occur where there are higher risks, complex presentations, environmental limitations, privacy concerns, or where remote assessment would not provide enough accurate or clinically useful information.

Question 5

What might I be asked to do during a telehealth appointment?

Accepted Answer

To support a useful appointment, participants or support people may be asked to assist with things such as setting up the phone, tablet, or computer, adjusting the camera so the therapist can see relevant tasks or areas, providing additional background information where needed, supporting participation in a guided activity, showing parts of the home or environment relevant to the referral, and helping the therapist understand routines, challenges, and support needs.

We will always aim to make expectations clear before or during the appointment.

Question 6

How is telehealth suitability checked?

Accepted Answer

Before telehealth begins, QVARI reviews whether the referral appears appropriate for remote service delivery.

This may include consideration of the reason for referral, the person’s goals and functional concerns, whether a support person is available if needed, technology access and practical setup, any relevant risks, safeguarding issues, or environmental concerns, and whether telehealth, in-person, or a hybrid option is likely to be the best fit.

An enquiry or pre-screen does not guarantee that telehealth will be appropriate. In some situations, a clinician may recommend a different pathway after reviewing the available information.

Question 7

How does QVARI manage privacy and safety during telehealth?

Accepted Answer

QVARI aims to provide telehealth in a way that supports privacy, safety, and professional standards.

This may include confirming who is present during the appointment, confirming relevant contact details where needed, discussing privacy in the participant’s environment, setting clear expectations about participation and support person involvement, having a plan for technology issues or session interruption, and recommending an alternative pathway if the appointment cannot proceed safely or effectively by telehealth.

Area	Evidence suitability	What the research says	QVARI position	Key study / reference
Functional interview and goal setting	Supported	Telehealth is well suited to structured interview, history-taking, and collaborative goal setting.	Suitable for telehealth where safe and appropriate.	Martin-Khan et al. (2012); World Federation of Occupational Therapists (2014/2021); Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (2025)
Home environment review / walkthrough	Supported with conditions	Video-based home review can improve contextual information, but may miss hazards and depends on video quality and setup.	Use for screening and contextual review; escalate where verification or measurement is needed.	Latulippe et al. (2022); McBride et al. (2023); Ninnis et al. (2019)
Structured telehealth home assessment	Supported with conditions	Structured protocols improve consistency, but the evidence base is still early and small.	Can be used with a protocol and clear escalation criteria.	McBride et al. (2023)
Home modifications	Hybrid / in-person often required	Telehealth can assist with early review, but complex measurement and specification are not well supported remotely.	Telehealth for preliminary screening only; in-person required for complex recommendations.	Renda (2018); Ninnis et al. (2019); Latulippe et al. (2022)
Assistive technology – low complexity	Supported with conditions	Telehealth can support needs analysis and some low-risk trials when visibility is adequate.	Appropriate in selected low-risk cases with clear documentation.	NDIA Providing Assistive Technology guidance; matched cohort OT home visiting telehealth study
Assistive technology – complex / high risk	Hybrid / in-person recommended	Complex fitting, seating, and high-risk assistive technology are not strongly defensible via telehealth alone.	Hybrid or face-to-face required.	Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (2025); World Federation of Occupational Therapists (2014/2021); NDIA Providing Assistive Technology guidance
Cognitive screening	Supported with conditions	Some tools can be used via video, but interpretation must remain conservative and context-specific.	Use as one part of broader assessment, not in isolation for high-stakes decisions.	Wong et al. (2012); DeYoung & Shenal (2019); Chapman et al. (2021); Loring et al. (2023); Beishon et al. (2022)
Diagnosis-level cognitive conclusions	Not supported via telehealth alone	Remote screening evidence is heterogeneous and not strong enough for standalone high-stakes conclusions.	Triangulate and escalate where needed.	Beishon et al. (2022); Martin-Khan et al. (2012)
Functional cognition – structured low-risk IADL tasks	Supported with conditions	Emerging evidence supports selected remote IADL tasks with adaptations, though the evidence is still limited.	Can be used cautiously with strict structure and documented limitations.	Keleman et al. (2024/2025)
Functional cognition – complex / high-risk tasks	Hybrid only / not telehealth-only	Evidence is not yet strong for remote assessment of complex real-world executive tasks, especially high-risk tasks.	Do not rely on telehealth alone.	Keleman et al. (2024/2025); Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (2025)
Neuro / upper limb structured remote assessment	Supported with conditions	Some remote motor tools show strong reliability when specifically adapted or designed for telehealth.	Use only where validated tools and setup requirements are met.	Yang et al. (2023); Liz et al. (2023)
Coaching, support worker training, and strategy implementation	Supported	Telehealth is well suited to coaching, collaboration, and guided implementation.	Appropriate for telehealth where goals and roles are clear.	Gately et al. (2024); matched cohort OT home visiting telehealth study

07 3495 2434

Q offers occupational therapy services via telehealth, making remote support available where appropriate

Our telehealth service is designed to provide practical, structured, and clinically useful support through secure online appointments.

What is telehealth occupational therapy?

Secure online sessions

More than a conversation

Tailored support

Collaborative approach

Case-by-case suitability

Frequently asked questions

How does QVARI telehealth work?

How does QVARI work to make telehealth meaningful?

Who may telehealth be suitable for?

When might telehealth not be the right fit?

What might I be asked to do during a telehealth appointment?

How is telehealth suitability checked?

How does QVARI manage privacy and safety during telehealth?

Thinking about telehealth?

If you are considering telehealth occupational therapy with QVARI, the first step is to submit an enquiry or complete our telehealth suitability screen. Our team can then review whether telehealth is likely to be an appropriate option for your referral.

Evidence-Informed Telehealth Practice

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