Dr Skinner is deputy dean of the University of Otago School of Physiotherapy, which this week is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding.
She noted that 25 years ago, when the school celebrated its 75th anniversary, the then Minister of Health had sent a congratulatory telegram.
Telegram delivery had shortly thereafter been discontinued in this country, but more recent technology was opening up new possibilities, she said in an interview.
Many people already sought health information via the internet, and there was scope for physiotherapists to offer reliable information about health-related matters, including lifestyle diseases, such as obesity, via the internet.
The school already offered opportunities for some patients with neurological conditions to improve their co-ordination skills by playing a game on a computer screen.
And within specific rehabilitation programmes, encouraging reminders about movement-related exercises could be sent out to people via cellphone text messages.
Such new technology was a tool and ''you make the most of any tool you've got'' to help the public.
Powerful new technologies offered significant advantages, including helping some patients with transport problems and limited funds to access either general information or material for specific programmes.
And further research would be undertaken to ensure the effectiveness of any new tool was evaluated in an ''evidence-based'' way.
