January 2026 to June 2028

Digitalisation has also made its way into physiotherapy. Since April 2022, telemedicine services have been part of standard physiotherapy care for those with statutory health insurance. Therapists can treat their patients in real time via video therapy, enabling them to combine face-to-face treatment with digital elements. This hybrid care model is known internationally as ‘blended physiotherapy’. In the Netherlands, the Blended Physiotherapy Checklist was developed for this purpose, known internationally as the Dutch Blended Physiotherapy Checklist (DBPC). This is a clinical decision-making tool that helps physiotherapists assess whether and to what extent blended physiotherapy is suitable for their patients.

Despite the legal and structural conditions for digital care models having been established in Germany, there has so far been a lack of validated decision-making tools in physiotherapy practice that enable structured and individualised planning of Blended Physiotherapy. This project closes this gap and contributes to quality assurance in digital healthcare. It supports the scientifically sound introduction of telemedicine services in physiotherapy practice and enables more personalised, flexible care for patients. Furthermore, it improves equal access to therapy, in particular for people with limited mobility or those living in rural areas.

The project is being carried out nationwide in Germany. Physiotherapists from outpatient and day-care facilities in all federal states can take part. The aim is to translate the DBPC for physiotherapy practice in Germany, adapt it culturally and evaluate it scientifically. The study will examine whether the tool delivers reliable results when used repeatedly and whether therapists consider it practical and acceptable.

The project is being carried out in two phases. In Phase 1, the Dutch DBPC will be translated into German in accordance with scientific standards and adapted to the German healthcare context. To this end, the checklist will be translated several times, reviewed by experts and subsequently tested for comprehensibility in interviews with physiotherapists. In Phase 2, the German version of the DBPC will be applied in practice with physiotherapists and their patients and statistically evaluated. This will assess whether the checklist yields the same results when used repeatedly and how well it functions in everyday practice.

For physiotherapists, this will provide a validated, practice-ready tool for structured decision-making that reduces uncertainty when planning blended physiotherapy. For patients, this means more personalised, needs-based care incorporating telemedicine elements where these are appropriate and safe. In the long term, both groups will benefit from improved quality and continuity of care.