Abstract
BackgroundTelemedical care of nursing home residents in Germany, especially in rural areas, is limited to a few pilot projects and is rarely implemented as part of standard care. The possible merits of implementing video consultations in longer-term nursing care currently lack supporting evidence. In particular, there is little documentation of experiences and knowledge about the effects and potential benefits of the implementation in presently existing structures. The goal was to assess the effect of implementing medical video consultations into nursing home care addressing the following research questions:How is medical care currently provided to nursing home residents, and where do problems in its implementation arise?How can video consultations be used to reduce difficulties arising in everyday care?How does implementation of video consultations impact day-to-day nursing home care delivery?MethodsTwenty-one guided interviews (pre-implementation n = 13; post-implementation n = 8) were conducted with a total of 13 participants (physicians, nurses and medical technical assistants). Narratives were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results were contrasted in a pre-post analysis.ResultsChallenges described by the participants before implementation included a requirement for additional organisational and administrative efforts, interruptions in the daily care routine or delayed treatments, and risk for loss of patient-relevant information due to process diversity. After implementation, communication was facilitated upon introduction of assigned time slots for video consultations. Clinical information was less likely to be lost, additional work was spared, and medication and therapeutic and assistive devices were provided more quickly.ConclusionsTelehealth cannot replace physical, in-person visits, but does offer an alternative form of service delivery when properly integrated into existing structures. Our results suggest that the use of video consultations in nursing homes can reduce the burden and additional workload, and increase the efficiency of care provision for nursing home residents. Video consultations can complement in-person visits to nursing homes, especially to address the shortage of medical specialists in rural areas in Germany. To promote implementation and acceptance of video consultation in nursing homes, we need to increase awareness of its benefits and undertake further evaluation of video consultations in nursing home care.
Highlights
Telemedical care of nursing home residents in Germany, especially in rural areas, is limited to a few pilot projects and is rarely implemented as part of standard care
– How can video consultations be used to reduce difficulties arising in everyday care? – How does implementation of video consultations impact day-to-day nursing home care delivery? Methods: Twenty-one guided interviews were conducted with a total of 13 participants
Our results suggest that the use of video consultations in nursing homes can reduce the burden and additional workload, and increase the efficiency of care provision for nursing home residents
Summary
Telemedical care of nursing home residents in Germany, especially in rural areas, is limited to a few pilot projects and is rarely implemented as part of standard care. The goal was to assess the effect of implementing medical video consultations into nursing home care addressing the following research questions:. – How is medical care currently provided to nursing home residents, and where do problems in its implementation arise?. Various barriers impede access of patients to their physicians. In rural and remote communities, the impeded access due to health services can contribute to poorer health outcomes [3] In this setting, telehealth has become an important tool for improving health care [4]. Implementing video consultations into standard practice could further address the difficulties arising from physician shortages in rural areas of Germany [5, 6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 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.
