Palliative Care via Telemedicine: A Qualitative Study of Caregiver and Provider Perceptions

Telemedicine has been proposed as a means to improve access to palliative care. There is limited information about how health care workers feel about providing this kind of care and how families feel about receiving it. This study assesses provider and caregiver perceptions of the safety and efficacy of the Distance Support Program (DSP) of a home-based palliative care provider in Beirut, Lebanon. Interviews were conducted with 8 physicians and nurses who provided that care through the DSP as well as 49 caregivers of patients who received care between January 2015 and December 2017. Interviews were analyzed thematically. Although they would have preferred having access to home visits, caregivers reported that they valued the information, guidance, and emotional support they received through the DSP and they appreciated having telephone access to providers. Health providers reported the DSP was more efficient than home visits. They felt it was safest when delivered by an experienced provider, they had access to a reliable caregiver, and the patient was assessed at least once. They felt it was important to communicate clear expectations to patients and caregivers when delivering care by telephone. Telemedicine can be a useful tool to provide palliative care services in settings where they would otherwise not be available.