Abstract
BackgroundTelehealth can offer alternative options for receiving healthcare services in rural locations, improving access and reducing costs associated with traveling for services. However, the full potential of telehealth has not been realised with slow and fragmented uptake. This study describes the awareness, experiences and perceptions of telehealth in an Australian rural community.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were undertaken with 47 participants from three rural towns in the Darling Downs region of Queensland. Content analysis was used to abstract themes and core concepts from the interviews.ResultsThree participants were healthcare providers who had all previously used telehealth in their clinical practice. Twenty-seven (57 %) participants regularly travelled to access specialist healthcare. While 28 (60 %) participants were aware of telehealth, only six (13 %) had actually used telehealth services; three as patients and three as healthcare providers. Major themes evident included: acceptance of the need to travel; paternalism and empowerment; and trust and misconceptions.ConclusionsFor telehealth initiatives to be successful, there needs to be greater public awareness and understanding of the potential benefits of telehealth. Empowering patients as partners in the delivery of healthcare may be an important factor in the growth of telehealth services.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-015-1094-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Telehealth can offer alternative options for receiving healthcare services in rural locations, improving access and reducing costs associated with traveling for services
Fourteen participants (30 %) were not from the town where the interview was undertaken; most of these participants were travelling to the town to access services, or had travelled into the town for work and lived in another location
There were three participants who were healthcare providers included in the sample; two paramedics and one general medical practitioner
Summary
Telehealth can offer alternative options for receiving healthcare services in rural locations, improving access and reducing costs associated with traveling for services. Population counts are used to classify Australian locations as either urban or rural. Health outcomes for people living in rural locations of Australia are generally worse than their urban counterparts [4, 5]. National census data estimated life expectancy to be four years shorter, and mortality for people under 65 years of age to be twice as high in rural areas compared with urban areas [6]. This is largely because people living in such locations do not have the same level of access to healthcare. Equity of access to healthcare in rural locations is compromised by geography, time and distance
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