The introduction of web-based video-consultation in a paediatric acute care setting

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Subspecialty Care
• Digital Health Innovations
• Healthcare Delivery Models

Background:

• The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) pioneered web-based video-consultations in pediatric subspecialties starting in 2011.
• Telehealth adoption aimed to improve access and efficiency in specialized pediatric care.
• Initial implementation focused on follow-up consultations, primarily with families at home.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utilization and user experience of web-based video-consultations in pediatric subspecialties.
• To identify key factors contributing to the successful implementation of telehealth.
• To assess the suitability of telehealth for diverse pediatric patient populations.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 346 video-consultations conducted by 65 clinicians over 16 months.
• Online survey distributed to 132 users, including clinicians, patients, and families.
• Qualitative assessment of user-reported reasons for participation and perceived benefits.

Main Results:

• Telehealth was predominantly used for follow-up care and involved families at home.
• The primary benefit reported by both clinicians and families was significant savings in travel time.
• Successful implementation was linked to clear organizational vision, user-friendly technology, clinician engagement, and ongoing support.

Conclusions:

• Telehealth is a viable and effective modality for a wide spectrum of pediatric cases, from simple to highly complex.
• The RCH model highlights critical success factors for integrating telehealth into pediatric healthcare.
• Telehealth offers substantial benefits, particularly in reducing patient and family travel burdens.