Nene Sofia, Rauch Magnus, Belanger David, Bennett Roxanne, Berry Gregory, Saad Nathalie, Wall Michelle, Morais José A, Morin Suzanne N
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal.
Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal.
Can Geriatr J. 2023 Mar 1;26(1):150-175. doi: 10.5770/cgj.26.641. eCollection 2023 Mar.
In the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, rapid transitions have been made towards telehealth. Optimal use of telehealth in elderly patients remains poorly understood and adaptation challenges persist. Our study aimed at identifying perceptions, barriers, and possible facilitators to telehealth use amongst elderly patients with comorbidities, their caregivers, and health-care providers (HCPs).
Health-care providers, patients 65 years and older with multiple comorbidities, and caregivers were recruited from outpatient clinics and invited to complete an electronic self-administered or telephone-administered survey on their perceptions of telehealth and of barriers to its implementation.
A total of 39 health-care providers, 40 patients, and 22 caregivers responded to the survey. Most patients (90%), caregivers (82%), and HCPs (97%) had experienced telephone visits, but few were conducted via videoconference platforms. Patients and caregivers showed interest in pursuing some future telehealth visits (68%, 86%, respectively), but felt they lacked access to technology and skills (n=8, 20%), and some felt that telehealth visits may be inferior to in-person visits (n=9, 23%). HCPs showed interest in incorporating telehealth visits into practice (n=32, 82%), but identified challenges in lack of administrative support (n=37), lack of HCP (n=28) and patient (n=37) technological skills, and limited infrastructure (n=37)/internet access (n=33).
Older patients, caregivers, and HCPs show interest in pursuing future telehealth visits but elucidate similar barriers. Facilitating access to technology, as well as to administrative and technology support guides, could promote high quality and equal access to virtual care for the older adult.
在持续的新冠疫情背景下，已迅速转向远程医疗。老年患者对远程医疗的最佳使用仍了解不足，适应挑战依然存在。我们的研究旨在确定患有合并症的老年患者、其护理人员和医疗保健提供者（HCP）对远程医疗使用的看法、障碍和可能的促进因素。
从门诊诊所招募医疗保健提供者、65岁及以上患有多种合并症的患者和护理人员，并邀请他们完成一项关于他们对远程医疗的看法及其实施障碍的电子自填式或电话调查。
共有39名医疗保健提供者、40名患者和22名护理人员回复了调查。大多数患者（90%）、护理人员（82%）和HCP（97%）都经历过电话问诊，但很少通过视频会议平台进行。患者和护理人员对未来进行一些远程医疗问诊表现出兴趣（分别为68%、86%），但觉得他们缺乏技术和技能（n = 8，20%），有些人认为远程医疗问诊可能不如面对面问诊（n = 9，23%）。HCP对将远程医疗问诊纳入实践表现出兴趣（n = 32，82%），但指出存在缺乏行政支持（n = 37）、HCP（n = 28）和患者（n = 37）技术技能以及基础设施（n = 37）/互联网接入有限（n = 33）等挑战。
老年患者、护理人员和HCP对未来进行远程医疗问诊表现出兴趣，但也阐明了类似的障碍。促进技术以及行政和技术支持指南的获取，可推动为老年人提供高质量和平等的虚拟护理服务。
