PROTOCOL: The Value of Rural Provider-To-Provider Telehealth for Emergency and Inpatient Care: An Evidence and Gap...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Delivery
• Telemedicine Research
• Rural Health Systems

Background:

• Rural and remote areas face unique healthcare challenges, including limited access to emergency and inpatient services.
• Telehealth, specifically Rural Provider-to-Provider Telehealth (RPPT), offers a potential solution to bridge these healthcare gaps.
• Existing evidence on the effectiveness and application of RPPT in these settings requires systematic mapping.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a Campbell evidence and gap map focusing on Rural Provider-to-Provider Telehealth (RPPT).
• To identify and describe the current body of evidence regarding RPPT in emergency and inpatient healthcare settings.
• To categorize reported outcomes using the Model for Assessment of Telemedicine Applications (MAST) framework.

Main Methods:

• The study protocol follows the Campbell and Cochrane collaboration guidelines for evidence and gap maps.
• Systematic literature searches will be conducted across multiple databases to identify relevant studies.
• Data extraction and synthesis will focus on RPPT interventions, study characteristics, and reported outcomes.

Main Results:

• This section will be populated upon completion of the evidence and gap map.
• Anticipated results include a comprehensive overview of existing RPPT research.
• Identification of research gaps and areas for future investigation in rural healthcare delivery.

Conclusions:

• This protocol provides a framework for a comprehensive evidence and gap map on RPPT.
• The findings will inform future research, policy, and implementation strategies for telehealth in rural healthcare.
• Understanding the evidence landscape is crucial for optimizing RPPT's role in improving rural health outcomes.