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Leonny S, Bowra J, Davis RA, Zuleta N, Hansen K, Large R, Yeung J. Review article: Telehealth in Emergency Medicine in Australasia: Advantages and barriers. Emerg Med Australas 2024; 36:498-504. [PMID: 38649791 DOI: 10.1111/1742-6723.14411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic catapulted Telehealth to the forefront of Emergency Medicine (EM) as an alternative way of assessing and managing patients. This challenged the traditional idea that EM can only be practised within brick-and-mortar EDs. Many Emergency Physicians may find the idea of practising Telehealth in Emergency Medicine (TEM) confronting, particularly in the absence of training and clear practice guidelines. The purpose of the present paper is to describe the current use of TEM in Australasia, and outline the advantages and barriers in adopting this practice domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheravika Leonny
- My Emergency Doctor, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Peninsula Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Justin Bowra
- My Emergency Doctor, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rebecca A Davis
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- RPA Virtual Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Natalia Zuleta
- WA Country Health Service, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kim Hansen
- Virtual Emergency Department, Metro North, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Critical Care, Women's and Children's Service Line, Redcliffe Hospital, Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ruth Large
- New Zealand Telehealth Leadership Group, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Whakarongorau Aotearoa//New Zealand Telehealth Services, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Justin Yeung
- WA Country Health Service, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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Pu D, Cameron P, Chapman W, Greenstock L, Sanci L, Callisaya ML, Haines T. Virtual emergency care in Victoria: Stakeholder perspectives of strengths, weaknesses, and barriers and facilitators of service scale-up. Australas Emerg Care 2024; 27:102-108. [PMID: 37852805 DOI: 10.1016/j.auec.2023.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Virtual emergency services have been proposed as an alternative service model to conventional in-person emergency department attendance. METHODS Twenty participants were interviewed: 10 emergency medicine physicians, 4 health care consumers, and 6 other health care professionals. Conventional content analysis was performed on the interview transcriptions to identify perceived strengths and weaknesses of the VED, and barriers and facilitators to scaling-up the VED. RESULTS VEDs are perceived as a convenient approach to provide and receive emergency care while ensuring safety and quality of care, however some patients may still need to attend the ED in person for physical assessments. There is currently a lack of evidence, guidelines, and resources to support their implementation. Most of the potential and existing barriers and facilitators for scaling-up the VED were related to their effectiveness, reach and adoption. Broader public health contextual factors were viewed as barriers, while potential actions to address resources and costs could be facilitators. CONCLUSIONS VEDs were viewed as a convenient service model to provide care, can not replace all in-person visits. Current policies and guidelines are insufficient for wider implementation. Most of the barriers and facilitators for its scaling-up were related to VED effectiveness and delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dai Pu
- School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences, Monash University, Australia; Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre, Australia.
| | - Peter Cameron
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Emergency and Trauma Centre, The Alfred Hospital, Australia
| | - Wendy Chapman
- Centre for Digital Transformation of Health, University of Melbourne, Australia; Melbourne Academic Centre for Health, Australia
| | | | - Lena Sanci
- Department of General Practice, Melbourne Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia; The ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research Translation, Australia
| | - Michele L Callisaya
- Peninsula Clinical School, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Australia; Menzies Institute for Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Australia
| | - Terry Haines
- School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences, Monash University, Australia; Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre, Australia
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Jones AE, Kennedy M, Hayden EM, Ouchi K, N Shankar K, Chary A, Li A, Loughlin KM, White B, Franco-Garcia E, Dellheim V, Liu SW. A protocol to determine the acceptability and feasibility of a pilot intervention emergency department virtual observation unit fall prevention program. Pilot Feasibility Stud 2024; 10:79. [PMID: 38762531 PMCID: PMC11102199 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-024-01502-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As a third of all community dwellers aged 65+ fall each year, falls are common reasons for older adults to present to an Emergency Department (ED). Although EDs should assess patients' multifactorial fall risks to prevent future fall-related injuries, this frequently does not occur. We describe our protocol to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of a pilot ED Virtual Observation Unit (VOU) Falls program. METHODS To ensure standardized conduct and reporting, the Standard Protocol Items for Intervention Trials (SPIRIT) guidelines will be used. The VOU is a program where patients are sent home from the ED but are part of a virtual observation unit in that they can call on-call ED physicians while they are being treated for conditions such as cellulitis, congestive heart failure, or pneumonia. A paramedic conducts daily visits with the patient and facilitates a telemedicine consult with an ED physician. VOU nursing staff conduct daily assessments of patients via telemedicine. The ED VOU Falls program is one of the VOU pathways and is a multi-component fall prevention program for fall patients who present after an ED visit. The paramedic conducts a home safety evaluation, a Timed Up and Go Test (TUG). During the VOU visit, the ED physician conducts a telemedicine visit, while the paramedic is visiting the home, to review patients' fall-risk-increasing drugs and their TUG test. We will determine feasibility by calculating rates of patient enrollment refusal, and adherence to fall-risk prevention recommendations using information from 3-month follow-up telephone calls, as well as qualitative interviews with the paramedics. We will determine the acceptability of the ED VOU Falls program based on patient and provider surveys using a Likert scale. We will ask VOU nursing staff to report any safety issues encountered while the patient is in the ED VOU Falls program (e.g., tripping hazards). We will use the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables, Student's t-test for continuous variables, and Mann-Whitney for nonparametric data. We will review interview transcripts and generate codes. Codes will then be extracted and organized into concepts to generate an overall theme following grounded theory methods. This is a pilot study; hence, results cannot be extrapolated. However, a definite trial would be the next step in the future to determine if such a program could be implemented as part of fall prevention interventions. DISCUSSION This study will provide insights into the feasibility and acceptability of a novel ED VOU Falls program with the aim of ultimately decreasing falls. In the future, such a program could be implemented as part of fall prevention interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E Jones
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Maura Kennedy
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emily M Hayden
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kei Ouchi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Kalpana N Shankar
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Anita Chary
- Departments of Emergency Medicine and Medicine, Section of Health Services Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Angel Li
- Valley Health System, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | | | - Benjamin White
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Esteban Franco-Garcia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | | | - Shan W Liu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Whitehead DC, Li KY, Hayden E, Jaffe T, Karam A, Zachrison KS. Evaluating the Quality of Virtual Urgent Care: Barriers, Motivations, and Implementation of Quality Measures. J Gen Intern Med 2024; 39:731-738. [PMID: 38302813 PMCID: PMC11043309 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-024-08636-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experts estimate virtual urgent care programs could replace approximately 20% of current emergency department visits. In the absence of widespread quality guidance to programs or quality reporting from these programs, little is known about the state of virtual urgent care quality monitoring initiatives. OBJECTIVE We sought to characterize ongoing quality monitoring initiatives among virtual urgent care programs. APPROACH Semi-structured interviews of virtual health and health system leaders were conducted using a pilot-tested interview guide to assess quality metrics captured related to care effectiveness and equity as well as programs' motivations for and barriers to quality measurement. We classified quality metrics according to the National Quality Forum Telehealth Measurement Framework. We developed a codebook from interview transcripts for qualitative analysis to classify motivations for and barriers to quality measurement. KEY RESULTS We contacted 13 individuals, and ultimately interviewed eight (response rate, 61.5%), representing eight unique virtual urgent care programs at primarily academic (6/8) and urban institutions (5/8). Most programs used quality metrics related to clinical and operational effectiveness (7/8). Only one program reported measuring a metric related to equity. Limited resources were most commonly cited by participants (6/8) as a barrier to quality monitoring. CONCLUSIONS We identified variation in quality measurement use and content by virtual urgent care programs. With the rapid growth in this approach to care delivery, more work is needed to identify optimal quality metrics. A standardized approach to quality measurement will be key to identifying variation in care and help focus quality improvement by virtual urgent care programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Whitehead
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | - Emily Hayden
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Todd Jaffe
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alessandra Karam
- Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - Kori S Zachrison
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Abraham C, Jensen C, Rossiter L, Dittman Hale D. Telenursing and Remote Patient Monitoring in Cardiovascular Health. Telemed J E Health 2024; 30:771-779. [PMID: 37682280 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2023.0187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Since the decline in death rates from cardiovascular diseases has slowed down recently, promoting cardiovascular health in patients and the general public has become more important than ever, particularly for elder and rural patients. This study is a collaborative effort between a regional health network in Virginia and associated organizations to implement and assess telenursing and remote patient monitoring (RPM) to help home care patients better manage their own cardiovascular related diseases and promote sustainable health delivery options. Method: Eighty cardiovascular patients with diabetes, congestive heart failure, or both who had a recent disease-related hospital stay were enrolled in the RPM program to receive services, including care coordination, coaching, referral for behavioral health, and aging-related services for 90+ days. The program used telenursing and RPM through home care monitoring equipment to coach patients on effective measures to stay compliant with posthospitalization regimens, track and evaluate readmissions, and assess physiological status and mental health. Result: There was a decline in hospital admissions of 65%, 85% for observations and related inpatient services for enrolled CVD patients in the RPM program. In addition, the longer the patient was enrolled the less likely they were to readmit. The program saved ∼$615,127 in patient claims costs and had net savings of $390,296, ∼173% of the total program expenses. Discussion: Evidence showed that 90+ day enrollments are sufficient for realization of readmissions and Emergency Department reductions, increased health care access, and lower costs. This resulted from consistent monitoring using the technology to alert nurses and care coordinators who were able to respond and facilitate patients accessing care in the most helpful and generally less costly care environment. Conclusion: The study has confirmed that care coordination and RPM are effective in supporting self-management of chronic conditions and cost reductions through telenursing and RPM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chon Abraham
- Mason School of Business, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Christine Jensen
- Riverside Center for Excellence in Aging and Lifelong Health, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Louis Rossiter
- Mason School of Business, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA
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Cruz-Panesso I, Tanoubi I, Drolet P. Telehealth Competencies: Training Physicians for a New Reality? Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 12:93. [PMID: 38200999 PMCID: PMC10779292 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12010093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
In North America, telehealth increased by 40% between 2019 and 2020 and stabilized at 40% in 2021. As telehealth becomes more common, it is essential to ensure that healthcare providers have the required skills to overcome the challenges and barriers of this new modality of care. While the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the design and implementation of telehealth curricula in healthcare education programs, its general adoption is still a major gap and an important barrier to ensuring scaling up and sustainability of the telesshealth practice. Lack of experienced faculty and limited curricular time are two of the most common barriers to expanding telehealth education. Overcoming the barriers of telehealth curricula implementation may require moving away from the classic expert model of learning in which novices learn from experts. As the adoption of telehealth curricula is still in its early stages, institutions may need to plan for faculty development and trainee education at the same time. Questions regarding the timing and content of telehealth education, the interprofessional development of curricula, and the identification of optimal pedagogical methods remain open and crucial. This article reflects on these questions and presents telesimulation as an ideal instructional method for the training of telehealth competencies. Telesimulation can provide opportunities for practical training across a range of telehealth competencies, fostering not only technical proficiency but also communication skills and interprofessional collaboration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilian Cruz-Panesso
- Medical Simulation Centre, Centre d’Apprentissage des Attitudes et Habiletés Cliniques (CAAHC), University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada; (I.T.); (P.D.)
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Shankar KN, Li A. Older Adult Falls in Emergency Medicine, 2023 Update. Clin Geriatr Med 2023; 39:503-518. [PMID: 37798062 DOI: 10.1016/j.cger.2023.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Of 4 older adults, 1 will fall each year in the United States. Based on 2020 data from the Centers of Disease Control, about 36 million older adults fall each year, resulting in 32,000 deaths. Emergency departments see about 3 million older adults for fall-related injuries with falls having the ability to cause serious injury such as catastrophic head injuries and hip fractures. One-third of older fall patients discharged from the ED experience one of these outcomes at 3 months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalpana N Shankar
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Neville House, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Angel Li
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University, 376 West 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Hayden EM, Nash CJ, Farrell SE. Simulated video-based telehealth training for emergency physicians. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1223048. [PMID: 37700768 PMCID: PMC10494251 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1223048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Little exists in the literature describing video-based telehealth training, especially for practicing Emergency Physicians. Materials and methods This was a retrospective, pre- and post-assessment of physicians' knowledge and confidence on video-based telehealth after two simulated telehealth encounters. Attending physicians voluntarily participated in Zoom-based trainings and received feedback from the patient actors immediately after each simulation. Post-experience surveys queried participants on the training, aspects of telehealth, and confidence in features of optimal telehealth practice. Results The survey had 100% response rate (13/13 physicians). Participants recommended the simulated training experience, mean of 8.38 (SD 1.89; 0 = Not at all likely, 10 = Extremely likely). Pre- and post-response means increased in two questions: "I can describe at least two ways to improve my video-based clinical care": delta: 1.54, t(12) = 3.83, p = 0.002, Cohen's d effect size of 1.06, and "I know when video-based telehealth could be helpful in clinical practice": delta: 0.99, t(12) = 3.09, p = 0.009, Cohen's d effect size of 0.86. Conclusion In this pilot, participants viewed telehealth more favorably after the experience and indicated improved confidence in focused telehealth skills. Further study is needed to determine what simulated case content provides the most value for decision-making via telehealth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M. Hayden
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston, MA, United States
| | - Christopher J. Nash
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston, MA, United States
| | - Susan E. Farrell
- Office of Medical Education, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Han JH, Koch E, Jeffery AD, Reese TJ, Dorn C, Pugh S, Rubenstein M, Wilson JE, Campbell C, Ward MJ. The effect of telemental versus in-person mental health consults in the emergency department on 30-day utilization and processes of care. Acad Emerg Med 2023; 30:262-269. [PMID: 36762876 PMCID: PMC11106754 DOI: 10.1111/acem.14688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We sought to characterize how telemental health (TMH) versus in-person mental health consults affected 30-day postevaluation utilization outcomes and processes of care in Veterans presenting to the emergency department (ED) and urgent care clinic (UCC) with acute psychiatric complaints. METHODS This exploratory retrospective cohort study was conducted in an ED and UCC located in a single Veterans Affairs system. A mental health provider administered TMH via iPad. The primary outcome was a composite of return ED/UCC visits, rehospitalizations, or death within 30 days. The following processes of care were collected during the index visit: changes to home psychiatric medications, admission, involuntary psychiatric hold placement, parenteral benzodiazepine or antipsychotic medication use, and physical restraints or seclusion. Data were abstracted from the Veterans Affairs electronic health record and the Clinical Data Warehouse. Multivariable logistic regression was performed. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were reported. RESULTS Of the 496 Veterans in this analysis, 346 (69.8%) received TMH, and 150 (30.2%) received an in-person mental health evaluation. There was no significant difference in the primary outcome of 30-day return ED/UCC, rehospitalization, or death (aOR 1.47, 95% CI 0.87-2.49) between the TMH and in-person groups. TMH was significantly associated with increased ED/UCC length of stay (aOR 1.46, 95% CI 1.03-2.06) and decreased use of involuntary psychiatric holds (aOR 0.42, 95% CI 0.23-0.75). There were no associations between TMH and the other processes-of-care outcomes. CONCLUSIONS TMH was not significantly associated with the 30-day composite outcome of return ED/UCC visits, rehospitalizations, and death compared with traditional in-person mental health evaluations. TMH was significantly associated with increased ED/UCC length of stay and decreased odds of placing an involuntary psychiatric hold. Future studies are required to confirm these findings and, if confirmed, explore the potential mechanisms for these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin H Han
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Erica Koch
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Alvin D Jeffery
- Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Nursing Services, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Thomas J Reese
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Chad Dorn
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Shannon Pugh
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Melissa Rubenstein
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jo Ellen Wilson
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Corey Campbell
- Psychiatric Services, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Michael J Ward
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Pu D, Palmer V, Greenstock L, Pigott C, Peeters A, Sanci L, Callisaya M, Browning C, Chapman W, Haines T. Identifying Public Healthcare Priorities in Virtual Care for Older Adults: A Participatory Research Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4015. [PMID: 36901031 PMCID: PMC10002071 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED There has been increasing adoption and implementation of virtual healthcare in recent years, especially with COVID-19 impacting the world. As a result, virtual care initiatives may not undergo stringent quality control processes to ensure that they are appropriate to their context and meet sector needs. The two objectives of this study were to identify virtual care initiatives for older adults currently in use in Victoria and virtual care challenges that could be prioritised for further investigation and scale-up and to understand why certain virtual care initiatives and challenges are prioritised over others for investigation and scale-up. METHODS This project used an Emerging Design approach. A survey of public health services in the state of Victoria in Australia was first carried out, followed by the co-production of research and healthcare priorities with key stakeholders in the areas of primary care, hospital care, consumer representation, research, and government. The survey was used to gather existing virtual care initiatives for older adults and any associated challenges. Co-production processes consisted of individual ratings of initiatives and group-based discussions to identify priority virtual care initiatives and challenges to be addressed for future scale-up. Stakeholders nominated their top three virtual initiatives following discussions. RESULTS Telehealth was nominated as the highest priority initiative type for scaling up, with virtual emergency department models of care nominated as the highest priority within this category. Remote monitoring was voted as a top priority for further investigations. The top virtual care challenge was data sharing across services and settings, and the user-friendliness of virtual care platforms was nominated as the top priority for further investigation. CONCLUSIONS Stakeholders prioritised public health virtual care initiatives that are easy to adopt and address needs that are perceived to be more immediate (acute more so than chronic care). Virtual care initiatives that incorporate more technology and integrated elements are valued, but more information is needed to inform their potential scale-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dai Pu
- School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia
- Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Victoria Palmer
- Department of General Practice, Melbourne Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Louise Greenstock
- Western Alliance Academic Health Science Centre, Warrnambool, VIC 3280, Australia
| | - Cathie Pigott
- Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Anna Peeters
- Western Alliance Academic Health Science Centre, Warrnambool, VIC 3280, Australia
- Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Lena Sanci
- Department of General Practice, Melbourne Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Michele Callisaya
- Peninsula Clinical School, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
| | - Colette Browning
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University, Ballarat, VIC 3350, Australia
- Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Wendy Chapman
- Centre for Digital Transformation of Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Terry Haines
- School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia
- Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
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Whitehead DC, Jaffe T, Hayden E, Zachrison KS. Qualitative Evaluation of Quality Measurement Within Emergency Clinician–staffed Telehealth Programs. Ann Emerg Med 2022; 80:401-407. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2022.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Witkowska-Zimny M, Nieradko-Iwanicka B. Telemedicine in Emergency Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic-Experiences and Prospects-A Narrative Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:8216. [PMID: 35805873 PMCID: PMC9266315 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19138216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Even before the year 2020, telemedicine has been proven to contribute to the efficacy of healthcare systems, for example in remote locations or in primary care. However, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth solutions have emerged as a key component in patient healthcare delivery and they have been widely used in emergency medicine ever since. The pandemic has led to a growth in the number of telehealth applications and improved quality of already available telemedicine solutions. The implementation of telemedicine, especially in emergency departments (EDs), has helped to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect healthcare workers. This narrative review focuses on the most important innovative solutions in emergency care delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. It outlines main categories of active telehealth use in daily practice of dealing with COVID-19 patients currently, and in the future. Furthermore, it discusses benefits as well as limitations of telemedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Barbara Nieradko-Iwanicka
- Chair and Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Medical University of Lublin, 7 Chodzki Str., 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
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Davis CB, Lorentzen AK, Patel H, Cheung D, Wright A, Lemery J, Penninga L. The Intersection of Telemedicine and Wilderness Care: Past, Present, and Future. Wilderness Environ Med 2022; 33:224-231. [PMID: 35459612 DOI: 10.1016/j.wem.2022.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Wilderness medicine and telemedicine seemingly exist at opposite ends of the clinical continuum. However, these 2 specialties share a common history and the literature abounds with examples of successful deployment of telemedicine to resource limited settings. The recent widespread adoption of telemedicine has important ramifications for wilderness providers. Telemedicine is inherently reliant on some sort of technology. There is a wide spectrum of complexity involved, but in general these systems rely on a hardware component, a software component, and a network system to transmit information from place to place. Today, connectivity is nearly ubiquitous through access to cellular networks, Wi-Fi, or communication satellites. However, bandwidth, defined as the amount of data which can be transmitted through a given connection over time, remains a limiting factor for many austere settings. Telemedicine services are typically organized into 4 categories: 1) live/interactive; 2) store and forward; 3) remote patient monitoring; and 4) mHealth. Each of these categories has an applicable wilderness medicine use case which will be reviewed in this paper. Though the regulatory environment remains complex, there is enormous potential for telemedicine to enhance the practice of wilderness medicine. Drones are likely to transform wilderness medicine supply chains by facilitating delivery of food, shelter, and medicines and are able to enhance search and rescue efforts. Remote consultations can be paired with remote patient monitoring technology to deliver highly specialized care to austere environments. Early feasibility studies are promising, but further prospective data will be required to define future best practices for wilderness telemedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B Davis
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
| | | | - Hemali Patel
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Dickson Cheung
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Angela Wright
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jay Lemery
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Luit Penninga
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation C2122, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Bennett CL, Clay CE, Espinola JA, Krzyzaniak SM, Egan DJ, Camargo CA. United States 2020 Emergency Medicine Resident Workforce Analysis. Ann Emerg Med 2022; 80:3-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2022.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Osborn E, Ritha M, Macniven R, Agius T, Christie V, Finlayson H, Gwynn J, Hunter K, Martin R, Moir R, Taylor D, Tobin S, Ward K, Gwynne K. "No One Manages It; We Just Sign Them Up and Do It": A Whole System Analysis of Access to Healthcare in One Remote Australian Community. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:2939. [PMID: 35270632 PMCID: PMC8910080 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19052939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the accessibility, availability and utilisation of a comprehensive range of community-based healthcare services for Aboriginal people and describe contributing factors to providing effective healthcare services from the provider perspective. SETTING A remote community in New South Wales, Australia. PARTICIPANTS Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health and education professionals performing various roles in healthcare provision in the community. DESIGN Case study. METHODOLOGY The study was co-designed with the community. A mixed-methods methodology was utilised. Data were gathered through structured interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the availability of 40 health services in the community, whilst quotations from the qualitative research were used to provide context for the quantitative findings. RESULTS Service availability was mapped for 40 primary, specialised, and allied health services. Three key themes emerged from the analysis: (1) there are instances of both underservicing and overservicing which give insight into systemic barriers to interagency cooperation; (2) nurses, community health workers, Aboriginal health workers, teachers, and administration staff have an invaluable role in healthcare and improving patient access to health services and could be better supported through further funding and opportunities for specialised training; and (3) visiting and telehealth services are critical components of the system that must be linked to existing community-led primary care services. CONCLUSION The study identified factors influencing service availability, accessibility and interagency cooperation in remote healthcare services and systems that can be used to guide future service and system planning and resourcing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloise Osborn
- Centre for Global Indigenous Futures, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Marida Ritha
- Centre for Global Indigenous Futures, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Rona Macniven
- Centre for Global Indigenous Futures, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Tim Agius
- Durri Aboriginal Corporation Medical Service, Kempsey, NSW 2440, Australia
| | - Vita Christie
- Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | | | - Josephine Gwynn
- Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Kate Hunter
- The George Institute for Global Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Robyn Martin
- Mid North Coast Local Health District, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia
| | - Rachael Moir
- Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Donna Taylor
- Pius X Aboriginal Medical Service, Moree, NSW 2400, Australia
| | - Susannah Tobin
- Honorary Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Katrina Ward
- Brewarrina Aboriginal Medical Service, Brewarrina, NSW 2839, Australia
| | - Kylie Gwynne
- Centre for Global Indigenous Futures, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
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