Patient acceptance of a telemedicine service for rehabilitation care: A focus group study

"It's a Very Good Second Option": Older Adults' Experience of Telehealth

INTRODUCTION

The growing ability to provide online services has enabled the proliferation of exercise-based telehealth interventions; however, adoption in older adults may be impacted by low digital literacy and "technophobia."

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to explore the experience of community and aged-care dwelling older adults following exercise-based telehealth services to provide insights that could guide future telehealth exercise delivery.

DESIGN

Semi-structured interviews for qualitative analysis.

METHODS

Participants (age ≥60) who had completed at least one online exercise session from a registered health professional were recruited through a combination of purposeful and snowball sampling methods via their exercise facility or provider. A semi-structured interview guide was used by 2 interviewers to investigate participants' experiences and a "critical friends" approach used to identify common themes.

RESULTS

Thirteen interviews with 21 participants were conducted from 2 different facilities. Analysis identified meaning units within 3 themes and subthemes. Technology subthemes related to digital confidence prior to telehealth and changes during interventions, as well as the usability of technology for telehealth. Clinical practice subthemes described the different motivations to exercise, perceived benefits of telehealth, important implications for practitioners, and perceptions of safety. The social connection theme related to the social benefits of telehealth.

CONCLUSIONS

Older adults in our sample were technologically confident and capable of performing exercise sessions delivered via telehealth. They notice benefits from this form of exercise delivery however, prefer face-to-face exercise delivery.

Physiotherapists' Adoption and Perceptions of Tele-Rehabilitation for Cardiorespiratory Care in Response to COVID-19

Purpose

The use of tele-rehabilitation as a mode for physiotherapy services was widely implemented following the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study explored the perceived value and experiences of physiotherapists relating to tele-rehabilitation for cardiorespiratory care.

Method

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with physiotherapists who provided tele-rehabilitation to adults with cardiorespiratory conditions between March 11 and December 31, 2020. Interviews were analyzed using conventional content analysis.

Results

Seven participants were interviewed; six practising solely in pulmonary rehabilitation and one practising in both pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation. Three major themes emerged: (1) the pandemic presented unique challenges to implementing tele-rehabilitation while exacerbating previous challenges inherent with virtual care, (2) tele-rehabilitation use during the pandemic was deemed as equally effective in quality of care and patient adherence when compared to in-person services, and (3) tele-rehabilitation had significant value during the pandemic and has potential as an alternative delivery model post pandemic.

Conclusion

Despite the inherent challenges, tele-rehabilitation was endorsed by participants as a suitable and effective alternative to care delivery and holds promise as a post-pandemic delivery model. Further evaluation is needed to support and optimize tele-rehabilitation use in physiotherapy practice.

Telerehabilitation in Physical Therapist Practice: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American Physical Therapy Association

A clinical practice guideline on telerehabilitation was developed by an American Physical Therapy Association volunteer guideline development group consisting of international physical therapists and physiotherapists, a physician, and a consumer. The guideline was based on systematic reviews of current scientific literature, clinical information, and accepted approaches to telerehabilitation in physical therapist practice. Seven recommendations address the impact of, preparation for, and implementation of telerehabilitation in physical therapist practice. Research recommendations identify current gaps in knowledge. Overall, with shared decision-making between clinicians and patients to inform patients of service delivery options, direct and indirect costs, barriers, and facilitators of telerehabilitation, the evidence supports the use of telerehabilitation by physical therapists for both examination and intervention. The Spanish and Chinese versions of this clinical practice guideline, as well as the French version of the recommendations, are available as supplementary material (Suppl. Materials).

A Review on the Feasibility and Efficacy of Home-Based Cognitive Remediation in People with Multiple Sclerosis

Cognitive impairment affects 34-65% of People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS), significantly impacting their quality of life. Clinicians routinely address cognitive deficits with in-clinic neuro-behavioural interventions, but accessibility issues exist. Given these challenges, coupled with the lifelong need for continuous assistance in PwMS, researchers have underscored the advantageous role of telerehabilitation in addressing these requirements. Nonetheless, the feasibility and efficacy of home-based cognitive remediation remain to be firmly established. In this narrative review, we aimed to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of digital telerehabilitation for cognition in PwMS. Thirteen relevant studies were identified and carefully assessed. Regarding the feasibility of cognitive telerehabilitation, evidence shows adherence rates are generally good, although, surprisingly, not all studies reported measures of compliance with the cognitive training explored. Considering the efficacy of rehabilitative techniques on cognitive performance in PwMS, findings are generally inconsistent, with only one study reporting uniformly positive results. A range of methodological limitations are reported as potential factors contributing to the variable results. Future research must address these challenges, as more rigorous studies are required to draw definitive conclusions regarding the efficacy of home-based cognitive remediation in PwMS. Researchers must prioritise identifying optimal intervention approaches and exploring the long-term effects of telerehabilitation.

Patients' perspectives and preferences toward telemedicine versus in-person visits: a mixed-methods study on 1226 patients

INTRODUCTION

Despite the fact that telemedicine can eliminate geographical and time limitations and offer the possibility of diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases by sharing reliable information, many individuals still prefer to visit medical centers for in-person consultations. The aim of this study was to determine the level of acceptance of telemedicine compared to in-person visits, identify the perceived advantages of telemedicine over in-person visits, and to explore the reasons why patients choose either of these two types of visits.

METHODS

We developed a questionnaire using the rational method. The questionnaire consisted of multiple-choice questions and one open-ended question. A total of 2059 patients were invited to participate in the study. Chi-square tests and descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis. To analyze the data from the open-ended question, we conducted qualitative content analysis using MAXQDA 18.

RESULTS

Out of the 1226 participants who completed the questionnaire, 865 (71%) preferred in-person visits, while 361 (29%) preferred telemedicine. Factors such as education level, specific health conditions, and prior experience with telemedicine influenced the preference for telemedicine. The participants provided a total of 183 different reasons for choosing either telemedicine (108 reasons) or in-person visits (75 reasons). Avoiding infectious diseases, saving cost, and eliminating and overcoming geographical distance barriers were three primary telemedicine benefits. The primary reasons for selecting an in-person visit were: more accurate diagnosis of the disease, more accurate and better examination of the patient by the physician, and more accurate and better treatment of the disease.

CONCLUSION

The results demonstrate that despite the numerous benefits offered by telemedicine, the majority of patients still exhibit a preference for in-person visits. In order to promote broader acceptance of telemedicine, it becomes crucial for telemedicine services to address patient preferences and concerns effectively. Employing effective change management strategies can aid in overcoming resistance and facilitating the widespread adoption of telemedicine within the population.

Experience and perceptions among rheumatoid arthritis patients following a telehealth-delivered dietary intervention: a qualitative study

The effects of dietary modifications have been assessed in people living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with consistent benefits reported from clinical trials. However, the lived experience of making and sustaining positive dietary changes for people with RA remains unknown. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of adults with RA and their perceptions of a 12-week telehealth-delivered dietary intervention and to assess the acceptability of the programme. Qualitative data was collected via four online focus groups with participants who had just completed a 12-week dietary intervention programme delivered through telehealth methods. Thematic analysis was used to code and summarize the identified key themes. Twenty-one adults with RA (47.5 ± 12.3 years, 90.5% females) were included in this qualitative study. Overarching themes included: (a) motivation to join the programme, (b) benefits of the programme, (c) factors influencing adherence to dietary prescription, and (d) advantages and disadvantages of telehealth. The study demonstrated that a dietary intervention delivered through telehealth methods by a Registered Dietitian (RD) appears to be well-accepted and may be used to complement face-to-face care for people with RA. The identified factors influencing the adoption of a healthier eating pattern will aid in the development of future dietary interventions for a RA population.

Everybody hurts sometimes: perceptions of benefits and barriers in telemedical consultations

Introduction

Shifts in the age structure, rising needs of care and support, and a lack of (in)formal caregivers require innovative solutions to relieve the whole healthcare system. Applying digital approaches, such as telemedicine, has the potential to support people in need of care, to relieve caregivers in families and professional environments, and to assist medical professionals in their working everyday life: e.g., using telemedicine for acute consultations could contribute to avoid hospitalizations of older people, whereas consultations with the general practitioner could reduce efforts and relive medical personnel. Beyond technical opportunities and potential, the acceptance of future users represents a prerequisite for a sustainable adoption of such innovative approaches, especially in sensitive contexts such as life in older age in nursing homes.

Methods

This study aimed at collecting users' perceptions and evaluations of telemedicine in nursing homes. Two scenarios of telemedical consultations were applied which were either carried out by an emergency physician in acute situations or by the attending general practitioner. In a first approach, advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine were collected with the help of a qualitative interview study (N = 12) with laypersons and medical staff. The identified acceptance-relevant factors were then quantified in a second study using an online questionnaire (N = 204).

Results

Outcomes revealed that both types of telemedicial consultations would be gladly used. However, for telemedical consultations in acute situations, the perceived disadvantages outweighed the advantages; for telemedical consultations with the general practitioner, the advantages outweighed the disadvantages. A prominent barrier in both scenarios was perceived impersonality, which limited the willingness to use. Nevertheless, participants indicated that telemedical consultations can be a support for nursing staff.

Discussion

Outcomes may help to derive specific implications and recommendations to develop and realize digital technologies tailored to the requirements, needs, and wishes of diverse stakeholders (i.e., patients, medical professionals) as potential future users.

Introducing e-health technology to routine cataract care: patient perspectives on web-based eye test for postoperative telemonitoring

PURPOSE

To explore cataract patients' experiences with an e-health tool for self-assessing visual function (ie, a web-based eye test), and to formulate recommendations for its successful adoption in routine cataract care.

SETTING

Clinics in the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria.

DESIGN

Mixed-methods study.

METHODS

22 participants were included in this study; in-depth interviews were conducted with 12. Questionnaires and in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted alongside a multicenter randomized controlled trial evaluating the validity, safety and cost-effectiveness of remote care after cataract surgery (Cataract Online Refraction Evaluation, a Randomized Controlled Trial). Results were analyzed thematically.

RESULTS

Participants reported positively about performing the web-based eye test at home. 4 overarching themes were identified in the interviews. First, participants were inventive in overcoming practical barriers encountered while conducting the test. Second, participants desired a clear presentation of test results and their meaning. Third, the ability to self-monitor visual function was appreciated. Fourth, most participants preferred to keep the option to contact their eyecare professional (ECP) postoperatively, especially when experiencing symptoms. Most would be satisfied with a phone consultation or an e-consult. Participants reported positive experiences with the web-based eye test. Barriers for successful adoption were identified, including insecurity about correctly performing the test, incomplete information on how to interpret test results, and a feeling that in-hospital assessments were superior to remote assessments.

CONCLUSIONS

It is recommended to focus on building trust in remote eyecare delivery and that access to the ECP be retained when medically indicated or deemed necessary by the patient.

A comparative analysis of digital health usage intentions towards the adoption of virtual reality in telerehabilitation

BACKGROUND

With the rapid development of the metaverse and the problem of non-attendance in traditional rehabilitation, virtual reality in telerehabilitation has become increasingly vital in modern medicine. However, research on determining predictors that influence the public's behavioral intention to adopt VR-based telerehabilitation has not been extensively studied.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to propose a new research model with a comparative analysis on understanding factors affecting the public's behavioral intention to adopt VR in telerehabilitation for different user groups.

METHODS

A total of 215 respondents from the general public completed an online questionnaire to validate the proposed research model. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. The proposed model was additionally validated using CFA and multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

This study found that effort expectancy, threat appraisals, and trust had a positive significant influence on the public's behavioral intention to adopt VR in telerehabilitation. However, performance expectancy and facilitating conditions had no significant relationship with behavioral intention. Notably, the average of the primary factors for older adults was generally higher than for younger adults.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study confirms the applicability of the proposed research model. Our findings contribute up-to-date insights for related stakeholders to minimize implementation failures and develop successful adoption strategies for the future expansion of telerehabilitation.

The telemedicine community readiness model-successful telemedicine implementation and scale-up

To successfully scale-up telemedicine initiatives (TIs), communities play a crucial role. To empower communities fulfilling this role and increase end users' acceptance of TIs, support tools (from now on entitled artifacts) are needed that include specific measures to implement and scale up telemedicine. Addressing this need, the article introduces the Telemedicine Community Readiness Model (TCRM). The TCRM is designed to help decision-makers in communities to create a favorable environment that facilitates the implementation and scale-up of TIs. The TCRM is a practical tool to assess communities' readiness to implement TIs and identify aspects to improve this readiness. The development process follows a design-science procedure, which integrates literature reviews and semi-structured expert interviews to justify and evaluate design decisions and the final design. For researchers, the paper provides insights into factors that influence telemedicine implementation and scale-up (descriptive role of knowledge) on the community level. For practitioners, it provides a meaningful tool to support the implementation and scale-up of TIs (prescriptive role of knowledge). This should help to realize the potential of telemedicine solutions to increase access to healthcare services and their quality.

Factors that influence the provision of home-based rehabilitation services for people needing rehabilitation: a qualitative evidence synthesis

BACKGROUND

To increase people's access to rehabilitation services, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to explore how the delivery of these services can be adapted. This includes the use of home-based rehabilitation and telerehabilitation. Home-based rehabilitation services may become frequently used options in the recovery process of patients, not only as a solution to accessibility barriers, but as a complement to the usual in-person inpatient rehabilitation provision. Telerehabilitation is also becoming more viable as the usability and availability of communication technologies improve.

OBJECTIVES

To identify factors that influence the organisation and delivery of in-person home-based rehabilitation and home-based telerehabilitation for people needing rehabilitation.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched PubMed, Global Health, the VHL Regional Portal, Epistemonikos, Health Systems Evidence, and EBM Reviews as well as preprints, regional repositories, and rehabilitation organisations websites for eligible studies, from database inception to search date in June 2022.  SELECTION CRITERIA: We included studies that used qualitative methods for data collection and analysis; and that explored patients, caregivers, healthcare providers and other stakeholders' experiences, perceptions and behaviours about the provision of in-person home-based rehabilitation and home-based telerehabilitation services responding to patients' needs in different phases of their health conditions.   DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used a purposive sampling approach and applied maximum variation sampling in a four-step sampling frame. We conducted a framework thematic analysis using the CFIR (Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research) framework as our starting point. We assessed our confidence in the findings using the GRADE-CERQual (Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) approach.  MAIN RESULTS: We included 223 studies in the review and sampled 53 of these for our analysis. Forty-five studies were conducted in high-income countries, and eight in low-and middle-income countries. Twenty studies addressed in-person home-based rehabilitation, 28 studies addressed home-based telerehabilitation services, and five studies addressed both modes of delivery. The studies mainly explored the perspectives of healthcare providers, patients with a range of different health conditions, and their informal caregivers and family members.  Based on our GRADE-CERQual assessments, we had high confidence in eight of the findings, and moderate confidence in five, indicating that it is highly likely or likely respectively that these findings are a reasonable representation of the phenomenon of interest. There were two findings with low confidence. High and moderate confidence findings Home-based rehabilitation services delivered in-person or through telerehabilitation  Patients experience home-based services as convenient and less disruptive of their everyday activities. Patients and providers also suggest that these services can encourage patients' self-management and can make them feel empowered about the rehabilitation process. But patients, family members, and providers describe privacy and confidentiality issues when services are provided at home. These include the increased privacy of being able to exercise at home but also the loss of privacy when one's home life is visible to others.  Patients and providers also describe other factors that can affect the success of home-based rehabilitation services. These include support from providers and family members, good communication with providers, the requirements made of patients and their surroundings, and the transition from hospital to home-based services. Telerehabilitation specifically Patients, family members and providers see telerehabilitation as an opportunity to make services more available. But providers point to practical problems when assessing whether patients are performing their exercises correctly. Providers and patients also describe interruptions from family members.  In addition, providers complain of a lack of equipment, infrastructure and maintenance and patients refer to usability issues and frustration with digital technology. Providers have different opinions about whether telerehabilitation is cost-efficient for them. But many patients see telerehabilitation as affordable and cost-saving if the equipment and infrastructure have been provided. Patients and providers suggest that telerehabilitation can change the nature of their relationship. For instance, some patients describe how telerehabilitation leads to easier and more relaxed communication. Other patients describe feeling abandoned when receiving telerehabilitation services.  Patients, family members and providers call for easy-to-use technologies and more training and support. They also suggest that at least some in-person sessions with the provider are necessary. They feel that telerehabilitation services alone can make it difficult to make meaningful connections. They also explain that some services need the provider's hands. Providers highlight the importance of personalising the services to each person's needs and circumstances.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

This synthesis identified several factors that can influence the successful implementation of in-person home-based rehabilitation and telerehabilitation services. These included factors that facilitate implementation, but also factors that can challenge this process. Healthcare providers, program planners and policymakers might benefit from considering these factors when designing and implementing programmes.

The Use of Digital Technologies in the Inpatient Setting to Promote Communication During the Early Stage of an Infectious Disease Outbreak: A Scoping Review

Background: Infectious disease outbreaks disrupt inpatient clinical care and have an impact on staff and patients' ability to communicate with each other and with the wider community. Digital technology may offer opportunities for communication in the inpatient setting during infectious disease outbreaks. Aim: This scoping review aimed to investigate the use of digital technology in the inpatient setting to promote communication in the early stages of an infectious disease outbreak. Methods: There were three aspects to this scoping review: (1) a database search of Ovid MEDLINE (MEDLINE), Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Association for Computing Machinery Digital Library (ACM) and IEEE Xplore (IEEE) exploring peer-reviewed articles, (2) a gray literature search, and (3) a media search. Results: Results focused on the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thirty-eight peer-reviewed articles were extracted from the database search. There were three main areas of investigation: study characteristics, technology features, and benefits and barriers. Forty-four websites were searched for the gray literature search focusing on policy and guidance. Eighteen media articles were retrieved focusing on patients' use of technology and community involvement. Conclusion: Results demonstrate the diverse use of digital technology in the inpatient setting to facilitate communication during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the articles provide limited data to allow readers to fully understand and reproduce described actions. Furthermore, there was limited guidance to support clinicians to communicate using digital technology to create trusting therapeutic relationships. Areas for future development include standard reporting process for technology hardware, software, and content; and structured reporting and evaluation of the implementation of technologies.

Remote follow-up after cataract surgery (CORE-RCT): study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Cataract surgery has become one of the most performed surgical procedures worldwide. Postoperative management consists of routine clinical examinations to assess post-operative visual function and detect possible adverse events. Due to the low incidence of complications, the majority of clinic visits after cataract surgery are uneventful. Nonetheless, valuable time and hospital resources are consumed. We hypothesize that remote post-operative follow-up involving teleconsultations and self-assessments of visual function and health status, could be a valid alternative to face-to-face clinical examinations in selected patient groups. The practice of remote follow-up after cataract surgery has not yet been evaluated. The aim of this study is to investigate the validity, safety and cost-effectiveness of remote cataract surgery follow-up, and to report on the patients' experiences with remotely self-assessing visual function.

METHODS

This study is a multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial. Patients planned for cataract surgery on both eyes, without ocular comorbidities, are eligible for participation. Participants will be allocated (1:1) into one of the two study groups: 'telemonitoring' or 'usual care'. Participants in the 'telemonitoring' group will perform in-home assessments after cataract surgery (remote web-based eye exams and digital questionnaires on their own devices). Participants in the 'usual care' group will have regular post-operative consultations, according to the study site's regular practice. Outcome measures include accuracy of the web-based eye exam for assessing visual acuity and refraction, patient-reported outcome measures (visual function and quality of life), adverse events, and cost aspects.

DISCUSSION

Investigating remote follow-up after cataract surgery fits the current trends of digitization of health care. We believe that remote self-care can be a promising avenue to comply with the increasing demands of cataract care. This randomized controlled trial provides scientific evidence on this unmet need and delivers the desired insights on (cost)effectiveness of remote follow-up after cataract surgery.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04809402. Date of registration: March 22, 2021.

Identification and description of telerehabilitation assessments for individuals with neurological conditions: A scoping review

Background

The clinical adoption of telerehabilitation accelerated rapidly over the last few years, creating opportunities for clinicians and researchers to explore the use of digital technologies and telerehabilitation in the assessment of deficits related to neurological conditions. The objectives of this scoping review were to identify outcome measures used to remotely assess the motor function and participation in people with neurological conditions and report, when available, the psychometric data of these remote outcome measures.

Methods

MEDLINE (Ovid), CINAHL, PubMed, PsychINFO, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched between December 13, 2020, and January 4, 2021, for studies investigating the use of remote assessments to evaluate motor function and participation in people with neurological conditions. An updated search was completed on May 9, 2022, using the same databases and search terms. Two reviewers independently screened each title and abstract, followed by full-text screening. Data extraction was completed using a pre-piloted data extraction sheet where outcome measures were reported as per the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Results

Fifty studies were included in this review. Eighteen studies targeted outcomes related to body structures and 32 targeted those related to activity limitation and participation restriction. Seventeen studies reported psychometric data; of these, most included reliability and validity data.

Conclusion

Clinical assessments of motor function of people living with neurological conditions can be completed in a telerehabilitation or remote context using validated and reliable remote assessment measures.

Physical therapists and public perceptions of telerehabilitation: An online open survey on acceptability, preferences, and needs

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telerehabilitation allowed the continuation of physical therapy care in parallel with public health measures to prevent the virus spread. However, in low- and middle-income countries including Brazil, telerehabilitation was unfamiliar to most of the population.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate acceptability, preferences, and needs in telerehabilitation by Brazilian physical therapists and the general population.

METHODS

We conducted an observational cross-sectional study with an online survey consisting of 13 multiple-choice items. Items were distributed among acceptability, preferences, and needs sections, and encompassed confidence in delivering or receiving telerehabilitation, its perceived efficacy and costs, and suitable content.

RESULTS

A total of 1107 responses were registered, 717 from physical therapists. Half of them self-reported confidence in conducting telerehabilitation through the internet (synchronous or asynchronous). The same proportion disagreed that telerehabilitation is as effective as in-person interventions. Physical therapists agreed telerehabilitation should contain educational, self-management strategies, and exercises information, but the general population endorsed the provision of technical advice on exercise execution. The general population mostly reported that telerehabilitation could help their specific health condition (86%), but only 14% of respondents would pay the same as they pay for in-person consultations. Participants reported an overall preference for synchronous communication and concern about the lack of a hands-on approach.

CONCLUSION

Physical therapists and the general population appear to demonstrate apprehension towards telerehabilitation. Insufficient preparation or inadequate knowledge might influence participants' acceptance, preferences, and needs.

Users' Perspective on the AI-Based Smartphone PROTEIN App for Personalized Nutrition and Healthy Living: A Modified Technology Acceptance Model (mTAM) Approach

The ubiquitous nature of smartphone ownership, its broad application and usage, along with its interactive delivery of timely feedback are appealing for health-related behavior change interventions via mobile apps. However, users' perspectives about such apps are vital in better bridging the gap between their design intention and effective practical usage. In this vein, a modified technology acceptance model (mTAM) is proposed here, to explain the relationship between users' perspectives when using an AI-based smartphone app for personalized nutrition and healthy living, namely, PROTEIN, and the mTAM constructs toward behavior change in their nutrition and physical activity habits. In particular, online survey data from 85 users of the PROTEIN app within a period of 2 months were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and regression analysis (RA) to reveal the relationship of the mTAM constructs, i.e., perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEoU), perceived novelty (PN), perceived personalization (PP), usage attitude (UA), and usage intention (UI) with the users' behavior change (BC), as expressed via the acceptance/rejection of six related hypotheses (H1-H6), respectively. The resulted CFA-related parameters, i.e., factor loading (FL) with the related p-value, average variance extracted (AVE), and composite reliability (CR), along with the RA results, have shown that all hypotheses H1-H6 can be accepted (p < 0.001). In particular, it was found that, in all cases, FL > 0.5, CR > 0.7, AVE > 0.5, indicating that the items/constructs within the mTAM framework have good convergent validity. Moreover, the adjusted coefficient of determination (R 2) was found within the range of 0.224-0.732, justifying the positive effect of PU, PEoU, PN, and PP on the UA, that in turn positively affects the UI, leading to the BC. Additionally, using a hierarchical RA, a significant change in the prediction of BC from UA when the UI is used as a mediating variable was identified. The explored mTAM framework provides the means for explaining the role of each construct in the functionality of the PROTEIN app as a supportive tool for the users to improve their healthy living by adopting behavior change in their dietary and physical activity habits. The findings herein offer insights and references for formulating new strategies and policies to improve the collaboration among app designers, developers, behavior scientists, nutritionists, physical activity/exercise physiology experts, and marketing experts for app design/development toward behavior change.

Traumatology: Adoption of the Sm@rtEven Application for the Remote Evaluation of Patients and Possible Medico-Legal Implications

Telemedicine is the combination of technologies and activities that offer new remote ways of medical care. The Sm@rtEven application project is a remote assistance service that follows patients affected by lower limb fractures surgically treated at Galeazzi Orthopedic Institute (Milan, Italy). The Sm@rtEven application aims to evaluate the clinical conditions of patients treated for lower limb fracture after discharge from hospital using remote follow-up (FU). The project is not a substitute for traditional clinical consultations but an additional tool for a more complete and prolonged view over time. The Sm@rtEven application is installed on patients’ smartphones and is used daily to communicate with healthcare personnel. In the first protocol, patients had to complete different tasks for 30 days, such as monitoring the load progression on the affected limb, the number of steps during the day, and body temperature and completing a questionnaire. A simplified protocol was proposed due to the pandemic and logistical issues. The revised protocol enrolled patients after more than 30 days of their operation, prioritized the rehabilitation phase, and required patients to use the app for fewer days. After an initial phase of correct use, a reduction in patient compliance was gradually reported in the first protocol. However, patient compliance in the second protocol remained high (96.25%) in the recording of all the required parameters. The Sm@rtEven application has proven to be a valuable tool for following patients remotely, especially during the pandemic. Telemedicine has the same value as traditional clinical evaluations, and it enables patients to be followed over long distances and over time, minimizing any discomfort.

Female Gender Is Associated with Lower Satisfaction with Postoperative Telemedicine Visits in Sports Medicine

Introduction: Telemedicine is a relatively new adjunct in orthopedic care but it has emerged from the periphery, driven in part by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it has drastically increased in use, little is known of the factors that drive satisfaction with telemedicine. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the patient's satisfaction with postoperative telemedicine visits in those undergoing knee or shoulder arthroscopy, and to analyze the factors associated with satisfaction with telemedicine. Methods: A prospective study was performed to evaluate satisfaction comparing postoperative telemedicine and in-office visits, in those undergoing shoulder and knee arthroscopy. Multiple factors were analyzed for correlation with satisfaction via multi-linear regression, including demographics such as gender, education, age, and race. Patients were also evaluated for preference for future visits with reference to the group in which they were placed. Results: Overall, 215 patients were included with a subgroup analysis of 93 patients receiving telemedicine visits. Patients reported overall similar satisfaction with telemedicine visits after shoulder and knee arthroscopy, with a high level of satisfaction seen in both. Female sex was found to be associated with decreasing satisfaction with telemedicine visits (p = 0.036). In addition, as a whole, the cohort was found to prefer future visits to be the same as the group they were placed in, but females statistically did not have this preference for their familiar group and were skewed toward the preference of in-person visits (p = 0.377). Conclusions: Our study found that female patients were less likely to be satisfied with postoperative telemedicine visits after knee or shoulder arthroscopy. Further, females were also less likely to indicate preference for future telemedicine visits. In contrast, education, history of prior surgery, age, and race were not associated with postoperative satisfaction.

What helps older people persevere with yoga classes? A realist process evaluation of a COVID-19-affected yoga program for fall prevention

BACKGROUND

Falls among older people are a major global health concern. This process evaluation investigates the experience of participants aged 60+ in a yoga program aimed at preventing falls which transitioned from studio-based classes to online classes in response to COVID-19 restrictions. We sought to understand how the Successful AGEing (SAGE) yoga program functioned in both settings and as a hybrid program, and to explain why it worked well for most participants.

METHODS

Realist process evaluation was used to explore the factors that facilitated a successful transition for most participants, and to consider why it did not work for a minority. This approach develops program theories that describe which mechanisms an intervention is (or is not) activating, and how this is mediated by context to generate process outcomes. Data included interviews with participants (n = 21) and yoga instructors (n = 3), self-report feedback forms (n = 46), observation of classes and routine process measures.

RESULTS

Factors that facilitated a successful transition for most participants included the quality of yoga instruction, the program format and inherent characteristics of yoga. Gains in transitioning online included continuity and greater convenience. Losses included perceived reduction in the effectiveness of yoga instruction. There were greater challenges for people struggling with pain and in disadvantageous home environments. We identified six program theories configured around 16 mechanisms: 1. It's worth the effort and 2. In expert hands (these had the same mechanisms: value expectancy, therapeutic alliance and achievement/mastery), 3. A communal experience (these mechanisms were shared experience, social connection, social comparison and peer checking), 4. Putting yoga within reach (accessibility, convenience, gratitude), 5. Building yoga habits (purposeful structure, momentum, accountability and continuity), and 6. Yoga's special properties (embodiment and mindfulness).

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that online delivery of a yoga program for people aged 60+ retained much of the value of a face-to-face program for the majority of participants, and increased the value for some. The structured, communal nature of an organised group program delivered by a skilled instructor, together with yoga's intrinsic focus on mindfulness, facilitated continued engagement and perceived health benefits, despite the change in delivery mode.

Implications for sustainable healthcare operations in embracing telemedicine services during a pandemic

Technological interventions in the healthcare sector, namely, telemedicine services, have helped the government and people in these extraordinarily challenging times of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We identify and group key success factors relevant to telemedicine services under 7 contextual criteria. Furthermore, we explore the causal relations among them using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method. Then, by applying the Bayesian best-worst method (BWM), we compute the relative importance of these criteria. Thereafter, we rank six hospitals that have provided telemedicine services through a comparative evaluation using the VIsekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranjie (VIKOR) method. The threefold findings of our study reveal that (i) the technological criteria provide the highest causal impact, while the environmental criteria provide the least causal impact. (ii) The hierarchical model of criteria, achieved through the Bayesian BWM score, shows that the criteria weights for both technological and organizational criteria are maximum (0.205) and minimum (0.087), respectively. (iii) The evaluation of six hospitals with VIKOR based on seven criteria ranks the Himalayan hospital as first, showing that it is best in providing telemedicine services to patients. Public health policymakers could use the results of our study to devise an effective plan for patient care in crisis, like COVID-19.

Telemedicine acceptance and efficacy in the context of preventive cardiology interventions: A systematic review

Introduction

Telemedicine is being used in an increasing number of healthy lifestyle intervention studies in preventive cardiology. However, the optimal telemedicine-based approach for patients with cardiovascular disease remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to identify which design features are associated with the acceptance and efficacy of telemedicine in this specific patient population.

Methods

The databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase and the Web of Science Core Collection were searched from 5 October 2010 to 5 October 2020. This systematic review only included randomized controlled or quasi-randomized controlled trials with a comparator to a telemedicine-based intervention group and a designated measure of adherence. We adopted a narrative synthesis approach to define telemedical design features, which were clustered into three main categories (social, exercise related and barrier removal) and compared to adherence (graded as good, medium and bad) and primary outcomes (significant improvement, no significant change).

Results

We screened a total of 865 records, of which 14 were included in this review, containing 13 identified design features. In 8 studies (57.1%), adherence was graded as good (4 studies medium, 2 studies bad). A positive primary outcome occurred in 10 (71.4%) studies. Personal contact showed the most pronounced (while not statistically significant) positive association with adherence and study outcomes.

Conclusion

Given the remote nature of telemedical lifestyle intervention studies, including recurring personal contact in the intervention seems to be a key factor in ensuring that adherence levels remain comparable to those seen in centre-based interventions.

Forecasting care seekers satisfaction with telemedicine using machine learning and structural equation modeling

Many individuals visit rural telemedicine centres to obtain safe and effective health remedies for their physical and emotional illnesses. This study investigates the antecedents of patients’ satisfaction relating to telemedicine adoption in rural public hospitals settings in Bangladesh through the adaptation of Expectation Disconfirmation Theory extended by Social Cognitive Theory. This research advances a theoretically sustained prediction model forecasting patients’ satisfaction with telemedicine to enable informed decision making. A research model explores four potential antecedents: expectations, performance, disconfirmation, and enjoyment; that significantly contribute to predicting patients’ satisfaction concerning telemedicine adoption in Bangladesh. This model is validated using two-staged structural equation modeling and artificial neural network approaches. The findings demonstrate the determinants of patients’ satisfaction with telemedicine. The presented model will assist medical practitioners, academics, and information systems practitioners to develop high-quality decisions in the future application of telemedicine. Pertinent implications, limitations and future research directions are endorsed securing long-term telemedicine sustainability.

My hip journey: A qualitative study of patients' experiences of an eHealth program for patient preparation and recovery from hip replacement surgery

AIM AND OBJECTIVE

To explore patient experiences, perceived benefits and suggestions of an eHealth program for pre- and post-operative education for total hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND

eHealth programs for surgical patients can facilitate the delivery of information, provide individualised rehabilitation plans and enable communication with health professionals to promote overall patient recovery.

DESIGN

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted following the COREQ guidelines. A convenience sample of nine patients who had total hip arthroplasty and used the My Hip Journey eHealth program were recruited and participated in individual semi-structured telephone interviews. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The participant group were aged between 53 and 70 years. The results are described in three overarching themes and sub-themes: (1) Supported surgical journey-how the My Hip Journey eHealth program supported them in their preparation and recovery from their surgery, and how the program provided information and encouraged engagement; (2) Motivated recovery-how patients found the program motivational, facilitated their self-management and enabled communication with the healthcare team if they had any concern; and (3) Functionality-how the program related to ease of use, its interactivity with the patient and suggestions for future use.

CONCLUSIONS

The patients reported that using the eHealth program for pre- and post-operative education was helpful to their overall surgical experience and recovery. It was found to engage patients in their care, enabled self-management, encouraged communication with health professionals and motivated them with their recovery. These findings identify the potential for eHealth programs to support patients in the preparation and post-operative stages, and in their post-discharge self-care for other surgical and orthopaedic journeys.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Patient experiences of eHealth education can inform nurses of the benefits of eHealth and the development of future eHealth education programs.

Modèles alternatifs dans la pratique de la rééducation à l’ère de la pandémie de Covid-19

La pandémie de Covid-19 a imposé un changement soudain et forcé dans le spectre des soins de santé qui s’est produit avec une rapidité sans précédent. La nécessité d’accommoder le changement à une grande échelle a exigé de l’ingéniosité et une réflexion décisive. Ces changements affectent les acteurs du domaine de la médecine physique et de la réadaptation (MPR) personnellement et professionnellement. Les experts réfléchissent maintenant à la manière d’améliorer la pratique médicale en utilisant de nouvelles approches en réadaptation. Les modèles et les expériences rapportés dans la littérature, tels que la téléréadaptation, la préadaptation et l’activité physique adaptée sont basés sur la stratégie de l’auto-rééducation collaborative qui est proposée comme un élément-clé de ces voies alternatives. Ces approches innovantes aideront à restructurer les processus d’exercice de la réadaptation, non seulement dans ces moments inhabituels, mais aussi dans l’avenir de la MPR.

Niveau de preuve

NA.

Identifying Barriers to and Opportunities for Telehealth Implementation Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic by Using a Human Factors Approach: A Leap Into the Future of Health Care Delivery?

The extensive uptake of telehealth has considerably transformed health care delivery since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and has imposed tremendous challenges to its large-scale implementation and adaptation. Given the shift in paradigm from telehealth as an alternative mechanism of care delivery to telehealth as an integral part of the health system, it is imperative to take a systematic approach to identifying barriers to, opportunities for, and the overall impact of telehealth implementation amidst the current pandemic. In this work, we apply a human factors framework, the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety model, to guide our holistic analysis and discussion of telehealth implementation, encompassing the health care work system, care processes, and outcomes.

Patient and Parent Experiences with Group Telerehabilitation for Child Survivors of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

BACKGROUND

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric cancer. ALL and its treatment cause altered bone-mineral homeostasis, which can contribute to musculoskeletal late adverse effects (LAEs). With the increasing number of childhood cancer survivors, LAEs are reported often, and are aggravated by inactive lifestyles. A telerehabilitation program is proposed to strengthen the muscle-bone complex and prevent future impairment.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore and better understand patient and parent experience of a telerehabilitation program after completion of ALL treatment.

METHODS

ALL survivors (n = 12), 75% girls, 7.9 to 14.7 years old, within six months to five years of treatment, were recruited to participate in the proposed study, along with a parent. The 16-week group program included 40 potential home-based physical activities, with monthly progression, supervised by a kinesiologist, through an online telerehabilitation platform. Patients could be included in the study if they joined during the first month of intervention of their group (minimum 12 weeks of intervention). A semi-structured post-intervention interview was conducted with the patients and their parent during the final assessment, along with a review of the kinesiologist's clinical notes, to obtain a portrait of the participants' experience with the telerehabilitation program. Overarching themes were identified by one author and confirmed by two senior authors before extracting the various aspects of each theme.

RESULTS

Of the 12 patients recruited, three were excluded from the analysis because they did not complete the minimum 12 weeks of intervention (one = relapse, one = failure to meet technical requirements, and one = abandoned due to parent's disinterest). The nine patients who completed the program (six girls; 10.93 ± 2.83 years) had a mean adherence of 89%. The overarching themes identified were the program modalities (group approach with patient-parent paired training, supervised by a kinesiologist), the telerehabilitation system, the participants' perception of the benefits, and recommendations and suggestions from the families. Both patients and parents expressed very high satisfaction with the program and perceived benefits.

CONCLUSION

Participants appreciated the program and reported they would all recommend it to other families in similar situations. The telerehabilitation method of service delivery was perceived by some as decisive in choosing to participate, while the supervision and intra- and inter-family interactions were the motivating factors that were key to program adherence.

Understanding Telerehabilitation Technology to Evaluate Stakeholders' Adoption of Telerehabilitation Services: A Systematic Literature Review and Directions for Further Research

OBJECTIVES

To examine the adoption of telerehabilitation services from the stakeholders' perspective and to investigate recent advances and future challenges.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic review of English articles indexed by PubMed, Thomson Institute of Scientific Information's Web of Science, and Elsevier's Scopus between 1998 and 2020.

STUDY SELECTION

The first author (N.N.) screened all titles and abstracts based on the eligibility criteria. Experimental and empirical articles such as randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials, pre-experimental studies, case studies, surveys, feasibility studies, qualitative descriptive studies, and cohort studies were all included in this review.

DATA EXTRACTION

The first, second, and fourth authors (N.N., W.I., B.N.) independently extracted data using data fields predefined by the third author (M.B.). The data extracted through this review included study objective, study design, purpose of telerehabilitation, telerehabilitation equipment, patient/sample, age, disease, data collection methods, theory/framework, and adoption themes.

DATA SYNTHESIS

A telerehabilitation adoption process model was proposed to highlight the significance of the readiness stage and to classify the primary studies. The articles were classified based on 6 adoption themes, namely users' perception, perspective, and experience; users' satisfaction; users' acceptance and adherence; TeleRehab usability; individual readiness; and users' motivation and awareness.

RESULTS

A total of 133 of 914 articles met the eligibility criteria. The majority of papers were randomized controlled trials (27%), followed by surveys (15%). Almost 49% of the papers examined the use of telerehabilitation technology in patients with nervous system problems, 23% examined physical disability disorders, 10% examined cardiovascular diseases, and 8% inspected pulmonary diseases.

CONCLUSION

Research on the adoption of telerehabilitation is still in its infancy and needs further attention from researchers working in health care, especially in resource-limited countries. Indeed, studies on the adoption of telerehabilitation are essential to minimize implementation failure, as these studies will help to inform health care personnel and clients about successful adoption strategies.

Evaluation of Patient Perception and Satisfaction Toward the Use of Telemedicine During Pandemic of Novel Coronavirus in Pakistan

Background: The trend of telemedicine is exponentially increasing worldwide due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. However, patient satisfaction is always a concern regarding the use of telemedicine. Introduction: The aim of this study is to evaluate the perception and satisfaction level of patients toward the use of telemedicine during the pandemic of COVID-19 among Pakistani population. Materials and Methods: The survey questionnaires were distributed to 251 patients who received telemedicine consultation in any of three specializations: orthopedic, ophthalmology, and general medicine. The questionnaire contains 15 questions that covered four categories of patient satisfaction: interpersonal communication, caring, care delivery, and proficiency. Descriptive and analytical statistics were obtained by analyzing data using SPSS software version 20. Results: A total of 251 patients responded to the telemedicine questionnaire. Overall, 61.35% patients reported that they did not need any support for using technology during consultation and 96.41% of the patient population reported that telemedicine saved their travel time. It was found that gender, education, and age were significantly associated with the ease in technology with the p-value 0.012, 0.004 and <0.001, respectively, whereas the use of telemedicine again in future is found to be significantly associated with only education and age p-value <0.001. The statistically significant difference was found in three specialized consultation regarding the overall satisfaction, χ² = 5.83, p-value = 0.05, with a mean rank in orthopedic is 133.6, 134.4 in ophthalmology, and 113.6 in internal medicine. Conclusion: Telemedicine is convenient and satisfactory way to provide health care services during pandemic. Although a considerable number of participants reported good response for telemedicine, there is a need of establishing local telemedicine guidelines, training of consultants and advancement in technology.

Using an Extended Technology Acceptance Model to Understand the Factors Influencing Telehealth Utilization After Flattening the COVID-19 Curve in South Korea: Cross-sectional Survey Study

BACKGROUND

Although telehealth is considered a key component in combating the worldwide crisis caused by COVID-19, the factors that influence its acceptance by the general population after the flattening of the COVID-19 curve remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to identify factors affecting telehealth acceptance, including anxiety related to COVID-19, after the initial rapid spread of the disease in South Korea.

METHODS

We proposed an extended technology acceptance model (TAM) and performed a cross-sectional survey of individuals aged ≥30 years. In total, 471 usable responses were collected. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the validity of measurements, and the partial least squares (PLS) method was used to investigate factors influencing telehealth acceptance and the impacts of COVID-19.

RESULTS

PLS analysis showed that increased accessibility, enhanced care, and ease of telehealth use had positive effects on its perceived usefulness (P=.002, P<.001, and P<.001, respectively). Furthermore, perceived usefulness, ease, and privacy/discomfort significantly impacted the acceptance of telehealth (P<.001, P<.001, and P<.001, respectively). However, anxiety toward COVID-19 was not associated with telehealth acceptance (P=.112), and this insignificant relationship was consistent in the cluster (n=216, 46%) of respondents with chronic diseases (P=.185).

CONCLUSIONS

Increased accessibility, enhanced care, usefulness, ease of use, and privacy/discomfort are decisive variables affecting telehealth acceptance in the Korean general population, whereas anxiety about COVID-19 is not. This study may lead to a tailored promotion of telehealth after the pandemic subsides.

Rehabilitation After Critical Illness in People With COVID-19 Infection

The current COVID-19 pandemic will place enormous pressure on healthcare systems around the world. Large numbers of people are predicted to become critically ill with acute respiratory distress syndrome and will require management in intensive care units. High levels of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial impairments can be anticipated. Rehabilitation providers will serve as an important link in the continuum of care, helping move patients on from acute sites to eventual discharge to the community. Likely impairment patterns, considerations for healthcare practitioner resilience, and organization of services to meet demand are discussed. Innovative approaches to care, such as virtual rehabilitation, are likely to become common in this environment.

Iranian physicians' expectations of telemedicine development and implementation infrastructures in teaching hospitals

Introduction

In spite of the fact that telemedicine has various advantages; similarly as in some other data systems, it is essential to investigate clients' perspective of technology. Besides, the clients' awareness and satisfaction of the telemedicine are significant issues that ought to be considered before starting a telemedicine program. The present examination in this way looks to assess Iranian doctors' demeanor and recognition toward the infrastructures of telemedicine development and implementation.

Methods

The participants of this examination included doctors working in health care organizations subsidiary to Semnan University of Medical Sciences during 2019 in Iran. A valid and reliable questionnaire was used in order to evaluate the subjects' attitudes.

Results

The mean score of physicians' attitudes towards human factors was 3.43 ± 0.59, towards educational factors was 3.68 ± 0.94 and towards security factors was 3.50 ± 0.52. Regression analysis showed that there were significant relationships between physicians' knowledge and their attitudes towards human (P < 0.001), educational (P < 0.001) and security (P = 0.046) infrastructures.

Conclusion

the findings of this study show that there are several obstacles that can be reduced through teaching, change-management methods and personal patient-to-provider communication. These techniques can improve acceptance and continuous usage of telemedicine among Iranian physicians.