Abstract
Two large hospice organizations in Kansas and Michigan began a telehospice project with the goal of improving care at the end of life using telemedicine. Hospice nurses provided services using video directly to the homes of hospice patients. The telemedicine equipment operated over ordinary telephone lines. Nursing services included symptom assessment and psychospiritual evaluations. Patients lived in both urban and rural settings. Studies were designed to evaluate utilization patterns, access to care, patient/carer acceptance, medical outcomes and cost. During the first year of the project, telehospice care was initiated at five rural sites (two in Michigan and three in Kansas) and three urban sites (two in Michigan and one in Kansas). There was greater telehospice activity in Michigan than in Kansas, with 118 and 44 patients served, respectively. The urban site in Kansas withdrew from the study after participating for only nine months. In an effort to understand the difference in utilization patterns and reasons for withdrawing from the project, in-depth interviews of key study participants, including hospice administrators, nurses and research personnel, were conducted. Human factors appear to be important in the adoption of novel telemedicine applications.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
