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Uncovering healthcare staff attitudes to the rapid deployment of telehealth in Victoria, 2020–2021: a 12-month telehealth experience
Citation
Shannon, MM and Callum, SM and Callisaya, ML, Uncovering healthcare staff attitudes to the rapid deployment of telehealth in Victoria, 2020-2021: a 12-month telehealth experience, Internal Medicine Journal ISSN 1444-0903 (2022) [Refereed Article]
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Abstract
Background
Telehealth was widely adopted in health services during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is unknown what the attitudes and ongoing needs of healthcare staff are after a rapid implementation of telehealth.
Aims
To evaluate staff attitudes to telehealth utilisation after a rapid implementation.
Methods
A health service-wide bespoke survey was sent to all clinicians, managers, and administration staff in June–July 2021. We evaluated attitudes to (i) telehealth application in the model of care and (ii) the barriers and enablers to use of telehealth. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative data, and content analysis for the textual data.
Results
A hundred and thirty-four respondents completed the survey (response rate = 22.5% of healthdirect users (71/315), and = 3.2% of total healthcare staff population). Most commonly, telehealth was identified as being important (78%) and safe (79%) by clinicians; important (100%) and encouraged (88%) by managers. In contrast, telehealth was identified as not the same as face-to-face (56%, 50%); but easy to add to usual work arrangements (43%, 44%) by clinicians and managers, respectively. The most common enablers of telehealth were: (i) having others use the same telehealth platform (74.3%, 100%), and (ii) completing training (68.9%, 72.7%) by clinicians and managers, respectively. The most common barriers were having (i) reliable internet connectivity (39.2%, 45.5%) by clinicians and managers respectively, (ii) the right equipment (clinician 37.8%), and (iii) a private area (managers 36.3%).
Conclusions
Despite training and having support from colleagues to implement telehealth, ongoing needs were identified that may promote uptake in specific health settings.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | telehealth, telemedicine, survey, implementation, health service utilisation, covid-19 |
| Research Division: | Biomedical and Clinical Sciences |
| Research Group: | Other biomedical and clinical sciences |
| Research Field: | Other biomedical and clinical sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Objective Division: | Health |
| Objective Group: | Evaluation of health and support services |
| Objective Field: | Health system performance (incl. effectiveness of programs) |
| UTAS Author: | Callisaya, ML (Dr Michele Callisaya) |
| ID Code: | 150251 |
| Year Published: | 2022 |
| Deposited By: | Menzies Institute for Medical Research |
| Deposited On: | 2022-06-05 |
| Last Modified: | 2022-06-06 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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