Telehealth in Speech-Language Pathology and Hearing: science and technology.
BACKGROUND
distance learning (DL) is becoming a higher education modality with a meaningful impact. It offers students flexibility, mobility and choices. Also it can reach a greater number of professionals and students in a more effective way, when compared to other learning modalities, without losing quality. Brazil needs to develop direct actions to DL in the fields of Speech-Language Pathology and Hearing, due to its great continental territory (8,514,215.3Km(2)) and irregular distribution of professionals who work in these specific fields (i.e. this situation emphasizes the differences in quality and availability of services offered throughout the country). Heterogeneity in the quality and availability of services is also aggravated by the absence of a national strategy for continued education in order to recycle health professionals. This situation causes important differences in the knowledge and abilities of specialists from one region to the next.


OBJECTIVE
to present Telehealth studies in the field of Speech-Language Pathology and Hearing that were developed in the last five years.


CONCLUSIONS
the analyzed data indicate that more studies are needed in this specific field. These studies should aim at improving the quality and access to services which in turn would improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders.
Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo. acpspinardi@yahoo.com.br
Ana Carulina Pereira
AC
Spinardi
Wanderléia Quinhoneiro
WQ
Blasca
Chao Lung
CL
Wen
Luciana Paula
LP
Maximino
D001938:Brazil; D020375:Education, Distance; D006801:Humans; D013066:Speech-Language Pathology / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D017216:Telemedicine