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Understanding Drivers of Telemedicine in Pediatric Medical Care
Sarah A Ostrowski-Delahanty1, Neil L McNinch2, Daniel H Grossoehme2,3,4
1Neurodevelopmental Sciences Center, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron, Ohio, USA.
Insights
Patient characteristics like education and tech experience influence telemedicine choices. Understanding these preferences is key to improving telemedicine quality and efficiency for families.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Digital Health
- Patient Experience
Background:
- Growing demand for telemedicine necessitates understanding patient preferences for optimal care delivery.
- Telemedicine offers various modalities, including telephone and video, with varying utilization patterns.
- Identifying factors influencing modality choice is crucial for enhancing healthcare efficiency and quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate patient and family characteristics influencing telemedicine utilization, specifically the choice between telephone and video visits.
- To identify factors associated with the use of different telemedicine modalities in pediatric care.
- To gather qualitative feedback for improving the telemedicine experience.
Main Methods:
- A single-site, cross-sectional, mixed-methods study.
- Quantitative data collected from 775 caregiver surveys.
- Qualitative data gathered from 22 in-depth caregiver focus groups and interviews.
Main Results:
- Female caregivers, those with higher education, and those with technology experience preferred video telemedicine visits.
- Qualitative feedback highlighted key areas for improvement: scheduling, accessibility, treatment resources, and care coordination.
- Previous experience, familiarity, and technology access significantly influence healthcare modality preference.
Conclusions:
- Patient and family characteristics, particularly technology access and education, play a significant role in telemedicine modality selection.
- Caregiver choice, child health needs, and telemedicine education are critical for user satisfaction and quality.
- Focusing on patient experience, needs, and training is essential for improving telemedicine outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.
Abstract:
As the demand for telemedicine services continues, greater knowledge about health care delivery preferences can inform high quality, efficient care. The present study sought to evaluate patient and family characteristics that may influence telemedicine utilization, particularly the choice between telephone and video telemedicine visits. This is a single-site cross-sectional, mixed methods study aimed at identifying factors associated with use of telephone and video telemedicine visits with pediatric patients and their families. Seven hundred seventy-five (n = 775) caregivers completed a survey and 22 caregivers participated in follow-up focus groups and interviews. Findings indicate that female caregivers, those with higher education levels, and those with experience with technology were more likely to choose video telemedicine visits. Qualitative feedback provided several valuable recommendations based on patient/family experiences, which fell into four categories, including scheduling, accessibility, treatment resources, and care coordination. Findings demonstrate that previous experience, familiarity, and technology access may be important drivers in health care modality preference. Key elements that emerged relevant to user satisfaction and overall quality of the telemedicine experience: caregiver choice on visit type (telemedicine vs. in-person), child health care needs, and telemedicine education/training. As society moves toward pay-per-performance and value-based reimbursement, it is imperative that we focus on experience, health care needs, and training to improve patient experience and lower health care costs.
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