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Examining perceptions of a telemedicine network for pediatric emergency medicine: a mixed-methods pilot study
Lidia A Mateus1, Madelyn P Law1, Asif Raza Khowaja1
1Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Insights
Telemedicine enhances emergency pediatric care by connecting critically ill children to specialists. This pilot study shows high acceptance among parents and physicians, improving access and communication.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Health Services Research
- Telehealth
Background:
- Telemedicine can improve access to specialized pediatric care in emergency departments.
- Current use of telemedicine in this setting is limited.
- Pediatric patients often lack direct access to children's hospitals.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the perceived effectiveness of a telemedicine program for critically ill pediatric patients in the emergency department.
- Explore experiences of parents/caregivers and physicians with pediatric emergency telemedicine.
- Identify barriers and facilitators to telemedicine implementation in pediatric emergency care.
Main Methods:
- Sequential explanatory mixed methods research design.
- Quantitative post-use surveys for physicians.
- Qualitative semi-structured interviews with physicians and parents/guardians.
- Descriptive statistics and reflexive thematic analysis for data interpretation.
Main Results:
- Positive perceptions of telemedicine for pediatric emergency care were reported.
- Key benefits include rapid access to sub-specialized care and improved physician communication.
- Barriers and facilitators to telemedicine use were identified.
Conclusions:
- Telemedicine programs demonstrate utility and acceptance for treating critically ill pediatric patients in emergency settings.
- Both parents/caregivers and physicians value the rapid connection to specialists and enhanced communication.
- Study limitations include sample size and response rate, necessitating further research.
Background:
Use of telemedicine for healthcare delivery in the emergency department can increase access to specialized care for pediatric patients without direct access to a children's hospital. Currently, telemedicine is underused in this setting.
Objectives:
This pilot research project aimed to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of a telemedicine program in delivering care to critically ill pediatric patients in the emergency department by exploring the experiences of parents/caregivers and physicians.
Methods:
Sequential explanatory mixed methods were employed, in which quantitative methods of inquiry were followed by qualitative methods. Data were collected through a post-used survey for physicians, followed by semi-structured interviews with physicians and parents/guardians of children treated through the program. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey data. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze interview data.
Results:
The findings describe positive perceptions of telemedicine for emergency department pediatric care, as well as barriers and facilitators to its use. The research also discusses implications for practice and recommendations for overcoming barriers and supporting facilitators when implementing telemedicine programming.
Conclusion:
The findings suggest that a telemedicine program has utility and acceptance among parents/caregivers and physicians for the treatment of critically ill pediatric patients in the emergency department. Benefits recognized and valued by both parents/caregivers and physicians include rapid connection to sub-specialized care and enhanced communication between remote and local physicians. Sample size and response rate are key limitations of the study.
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