Abstract
BackgroundTelephone consultation and triage services are increasingly being used to deliver health advice. Availability of high speed internet services in remote areas allows healthcare providers to move from telephone to video telehealth services. Current approaches for assessing video services have limitations. This study aimed to identify the challenges for service providers associated with transitioning from audio to video technology.MethodsUsing a mixed-method, qualitative approach, we observed training of service providers who were required to switch from telephone to video, and conducted pre- and post-training interviews with 15 service providers and their trainers on the challenges associated with transitioning to video. Two full days of simulation training were observed. Data were transcribed and analysed using an inductive approach; a modified constant comparative method was employed to identify common themes.ResultsWe found three broad categories of issues likely to affect implementation of the video service: social, professional, and technical. Within these categories, eight sub-themes were identified; they were: enhanced delivery of the health service, improved health advice for people living in remote areas, safety concerns, professional risks, poor uptake of video service, system design issues, use of simulation for system testing, and use of simulation for system training.ConclusionsThis study identified a number of unexpected potential barriers to successful transition from telephone to the video system. Most prominent were technical and training issues, and personal safety concerns about transitioning from telephone to video media. Addressing identified issues prior to implementation of a new video telehealth system is likely to improve effectiveness and uptake.
Highlights
Telephone consultation and triage services are increasingly being used to deliver health advice
Few formative assessments are conducted in natural settings, [7] despite evidence that an intervention’s success is dependent on contextual factors [9]. In view of these limitations, we undertook a formative evaluation of a telehealth service, comprising a combination of interviews with providers and observations of how the telehealth is delivered in a workplace setting with a simulated patient
Pre-simulation, four customer support officers (CSOs) and five counsellors participated in a semi-structured interview over the telephone
Summary
Telephone consultation and triage services are increasingly being used to deliver health advice. Few formative assessments are conducted in natural settings, [7] despite evidence that an intervention’s success is dependent on contextual factors [9]. In view of these limitations, we undertook a formative evaluation of a telehealth service, comprising a combination of interviews with providers and observations of how the telehealth is delivered in a workplace setting with a simulated patient (actor). Assessing telehealth services as integrated systems, and involving typical users and real world situations as part of the evaluation, is one way to enable problems to be identified and addressed [10]. Seeking the views of participants who have interacted with the newly integrated system will allow identification of factors that may influence decisionmaking, transition and implementation [11]
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