Physiotherapy is changing. 

Digital health is no longer something on the horizon; it’s now part of everyday practice. 

Electronic medical records, exercise apps, telehealth consultations, artificial intelligence and wearable devices, for example, are now common across many clinics, hospitals and community care. 

Here’s the challenge, though: while the technology is moving fast, our workforce capability hasn’t always been able to keep up. 

Some physiotherapists are confident and thriving in digitally enabled environments. 

Others feel unsure or underprepared or are simply trying to ‘figure it out as they go’. 

This variability is not a reflection of individual effort – instead, it reflects a broader issue in how we prepare and support the profession. 

We are currently at a digital inflection point. 

The question is no longer whether physiotherapy will embrace digital health. 

It’s whether we’re ready for it. 

Are we ready? 

Over the past decade, there has been rapid growth in digital health tools that support physiotherapy care. 

From remote consultations to real-time movement and recovery tracking, the possibilities are expanding quickly. 

However, our research shows that digital health capability across the physiotherapy workforce is highly variable. 

More importantly, digital health is still under-represented in many professional competency standards and training pathways. 

In practice, what this means is that digital health is often added on top of existing care rather than embedded within it. 

A physiotherapist might use telehealth or various other platforms but without clear guidance on how to deliver high quality digital care. 

Or they might collect patient data digitally but without fully understanding how to manage, interpret or act on that information. 

The result is that there’s a gap between using technology and using it well. 

Knowing versus doing 

One of the biggest challenges in digital health is what we call the ‘competency–action gap’. 

We often describe what physiotherapists should know but not what they should actually do with technology in practice. 

For example, a digital physiotherapy competency standard might state that a physiotherapist should be ‘proficient in telehealth’. 

But what does that really mean? 

Does it include setting up a safe and private consultation environment? 

Gaining informed consent for digital care? 

Adjusting communication for a virtual setting? 

Troubleshooting technical issues? 

Without clear answers, it becomes difficult to train students effectively, support clinicians in their practice and assess whether someone is truly competent. 

This is where much of the current frustration comes from. 

It’s not that physiotherapists don’t want to engage with digital health – it’s that expectations are often unclear. 

Measuring digital health capability 

To address this gap, our research focuses on a simple idea: making digital health capability practical and observable. 

We’ve done this using an evidence-based concept called entrustable professional activities (EPAs). 

In a nutshell, EPAs describe the everyday tasks that a physiotherapist should be trusted to perform independently. 

Instead of focusing on abstract competencies, they focus on real clinical work. 

Through an international consensus study involving experts from 16 countries, we developed the first set of EPAs specifically for digital physiotherapy practice. 

We are continuing to expand on this work. 

The EPAs translate digital capability into clear, actionable activities. 

They answer the question ‘What should a competent physiotherapist actually be able to do when using digital health?’ 

Digital competence in practice 

Mark Merolli says physiotherapists need to embrace digital health.

So, what does this mean for everyday physiotherapy? 

Digital competence isn’t about mastering every new technology. 

It’s about being able to deliver safe, effective and patient-centred care in a digitally enabled environment. 

The following are examples of the key areas where this comes to life. 

Managing patient information safely 

Physiotherapists must be able to confidently manage digital patient data, including how it is accessed, stored, shared and protected. 

One of the strongest findings from our research was the importance of informed consent in digital care. 

Whether assessing, monitoring or treating patients remotely, gaining and documenting consent for digital practice is essential. 

This is not just a technical issue; it’s a core part of professional and ethical practice. 

Delivering care using digital tools 

Digital tools are now part of how we assess, treat and support patients. 

This includes telehealth consultations; exercise prescription apps; artificial intelligence; wearables, sensors and other devices; and online education resources. 

The key point is that digital tools don’t replace physiotherapy skills – they change how those skills are delivered. 

A good clinician remains a good clinician. 

But they must adapt their skills to new environments. 

Communicating in a digital environment 

Communication is at the heart of physiotherapy practice and it becomes even more important when providing digital care. 

Among other things, physiotherapists need to build rapport through a screen, adapt their style to suit the technology, use clear and simple language, and check understanding more actively. 

These are not ‘nice to have’ skills – they are essential for effective care. 

Monitoring patients remotely 

Digital health allows us to track patient progress in new ways. 

From activity-related data to symptom tracking, physiotherapists can now monitor patients between sessions and respond more proactively. 

However, this also requires new skills: interpreting data, knowing what matters (and what doesn’t) and acting on insights in a meaningful way. 

Improving digital services 

Digital health capability isn’t just about using technology. 

It’s also about shaping how it’s used. 

Physiotherapists can act as digital leaders in the workforce and in their workplaces. 

This might include improving workflows, supporting or mentoring colleagues, contributing to service design and ensuring safe and effective implementation. 

What this means for you 

Digital health is no longer optional. 

Every physiotherapist – regardless of setting or experience – should aim for a baseline level of digital capability. 

That might encompass being able to use digital tools appropriately, manage patient data safely, critique digital tools (knowing when to engage or not and why), deliver care remotely and communicate effectively in virtual settings. 

The goal isn’t necessarily to become a technology expert. 

It’s to remain a capable, competent clinician in a changing environment. 

What does change look like? 

If we want to see a digitally capable workforce, we need to rethink how we train and support physiotherapists. 

This starts with education. 

Universities must embed digital health into curricula – not as an add-on, but as a core and considered part of practice. 

Students should graduate ready to work in both physical and digital environments. 

For the existing workforce, continuing professional development needs to evolve. 

Short courses on specific tools aren’t enough; we need structured approaches that build capability over time. 

Employers and professional bodies also have a part to play in setting clear expectations and supporting workforce development. 

The opportunity ahead 

The future is exciting. 

Digital health presents a significant opportunity for our profession. 

It can improve access to care, support better patient engagement, improve workflows and enable more flexible models of service delivery. 

It also positions physiotherapists to take on a stronger role in modern, data-driven health systems. 

However, to realise this potential, we need to focus on capability – not just technology. 

If you’re interested in this work and would like to connect with this research, please contact me. 

>> Mark Merolli MACP is an associate professor of physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne, an APA Titled Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist, an APA Titled Research Physiotherapist, a fellow of the Australasian Institute of Digital Health and a Certified Health Informatician Australasia.