Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University Faculty of Medicine Health and Human Sciences, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University Faculty of Medicine Health and Human Sciences, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
BMJ Open. 2022 Oct 27;12(10):e063179. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063179.
Telehealth has emerged as a viable and safe mode of care delivery in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, electronic general practice data reveal differences in uptake and consultation mode, which we hypothesise may be due to potential barriers impacting on quality of care. We aimed to identify the benefits and barriers of telehealth use in general practice, using an 'Action Research' approach involving general practitioners (GPs) and general practice stakeholders.
Qualitative focus group performed within a broader Action Research methodology.
A focus group was held in August 2021, with general practice participants from Victoria, Australia.
The study consisted of a purposive sample of 11 participants, including GPs (n=4), representatives from three primary health networks (n=4) and data custodian representatives (n=3) who were part of a project stakeholder group guided by an Action Research approach.
Semistructured interview questions were used to guide focus group discussions via videoconference, which were recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis. The transcript was analysed using an inductive thematic approach.
Emerging themes included evolution of telehealth, barriers to telehealth (privacy, eligibility, technology, quality of care, sociodemographic and residential aged care barriers) and benefits of telehealth (practice, quality of care, sociodemographic and residential aged care benefits).
The findings highlight a range of barriers to telehealth that impact general practice, but also provide justification for the continuation and development of telehealth. These results provide important context to support data-driven population-based findings on telehealth uptake. They also highlight areas of quality improvement for the enhancement of telehealth as a valuable tool for routine general practice patient care.
在 COVID-19 大流行期间，远程医疗已成为澳大利亚一种可行且安全的医疗服务模式。然而，电子全科医疗数据显示了使用率和咨询模式的差异，我们假设这可能是由于影响医疗质量的潜在障碍造成的。我们旨在使用包括全科医生（GP）和全科医疗利益相关者在内的“行动研究”方法，确定远程医疗在全科医疗中的益处和障碍。
在更广泛的行动研究方法内进行定性焦点小组研究。
2021 年 8 月，在澳大利亚维多利亚州举行了一次焦点小组会议，参与者为全科医生。
该研究由 11 名参与者组成，包括全科医生（n=4）、来自三个初级保健网络的代表（n=4）和数据保管代表（n=3），他们是由行动研究方法指导的项目利益相关者小组的一部分。
使用半结构化访谈问题通过视频会议引导焦点小组讨论，讨论内容被记录并逐字转录进行分析。使用归纳主题方法分析转录本。
出现的主题包括远程医疗的演变、远程医疗的障碍（隐私、资格、技术、医疗质量、社会人口学和养老院障碍）和远程医疗的益处（实践、医疗质量、社会人口学和养老院益处）。
研究结果强调了远程医疗对全科医疗的一系列障碍，但也为远程医疗的持续发展提供了理由。这些结果为支持基于数据的远程医疗使用率研究提供了重要背景，还突出了为提高远程医疗质量而需要改进的领域，以增强远程医疗作为常规全科医疗患者护理有价值工具的地位。
