The Acceptability and Efficacy of Electronic Data Collection in a Hospital Neurodevelopmental Clinic: Pilot Questionnaire Study.

Shrujna Patel,Natalie Ong,Rebecca Sutherland,Adam John Guastella,Natalie Silove,Marcia Williamsz,Suzi Drevensek,Beverley Bennett,Angela Papanicolaou,Kalaichelvi Ganesalingam,Izabella Pokorski,Magdalen Rozsa,Diana Barnett,Yun Ju Christine Song,Jane Cramsie,Marie Antoinette Redoblado-Hodge,Kelsie Ann Boulton

doi:10.2196/18214

Abstract

BackgroundThere is a growing need for cost-efficient and patient-centered approaches to support families in hospital- and community-based neurodevelopmental services. For such purposes, electronic data collection (EDC) may hold advantages over paper-based data collection. Such EDC approaches enable automated data collection for scoring and interpretation, saving time for clinicians and services and promoting more efficient service delivery.ObjectiveThis pilot study evaluated the efficacy of EDC for the Child Development Unit, a hospital-based diagnostic assessment clinic in the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network. Caregiver response rates and preference for EDC or paper-based methods were evaluated as well as the moderating role of demographic characteristics such as age, level of education, and ethnic background.MethodsFamilies were sent either a paper-based questionnaire via post or an electronic mail link for completion before attending their first on-site clinic appointment for assessment. A total of 62 families were provided a paper version of the questionnaire, while 184 families were provided the online version of the same questionnaire.ResultsCompletion rates of the questionnaire before the first appointment were significantly higher for EDC (164/184, 89.1%) in comparison to paper-based methods (24/62, 39%; P<.001). Within the EDC group, a vast majority of respondents indicated a preference for completing the questionnaire online (151/173, 87.3%), compared to paper completion (22/173, 12.7%; P<.001). Of the caregiver demographic characteristics, only the respondent’s level of education was associated with modality preference, such that those with a higher level of education reported a greater preference for EDC (P=.04).ConclusionsThese results show that EDC is feasible in hospital-based clinics and has the potential to offer substantial benefits in terms of centralized data collation, time and cost savings, efficiency of service, and resource allocation. The results of this study therefore support the continued use of electronic methods to improve family-centered care in clinical practices.

Highlights

Electronic data collection (EDC) has been at the center of debate about the future of 21st century health care [1,2,3]
Completion rates of the questionnaire before the first appointment were significantly higher for electronic data collection (EDC) (164/184, 89.1%) in comparison to paper-based methods (24/62, 39%; P
Within the EDC group, a vast majority of respondents indicated a preference for completing the questionnaire online (151/173, 87.3%), compared to paper completion (22/173, 12.7%; P

Summary

Introduction

Electronic data collection (EDC) has been at the center of debate about the future of 21st century health care [1,2,3] Such approaches have the potential to save billions in health care costs through improved data capture and clinical service responses that allow for more efficient patient-centered care [4,5,6,7]. There is a growing need for cost-efficient and patient-centered approaches to support families in hospital- and community-based neurodevelopmental services. For such purposes, electronic data collection (EDC) may hold advantages over paper-based data collection. Such EDC approaches enable automated data collection for scoring and interpretation, saving time for clinicians and services and promoting more efficient service delivery

Methods

Results

Conclusion