Survey of paediatric telehealth benefits from the caregiver perspective
Harriet Hiscock
A B C I , Rachel Pelly A B , Xinjang Hua D , Sue West E F , Dianne Tucker G , Chin-Mae Raymundo H and Kim Dalziel B D
A Health Services Research Unit, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia.
B Health Services, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia. Email: rachel.pelly@mcri.edu.au
C Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.
D Centre for Health Policy, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia. Email: xinyang.hua@unimelb.edu.au; kim.dalziel@unimelb.edu.au
E Policy, Equity and Translation, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia. Email: sue.west@mcri.edu.au
F Centre for Community Child Health, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia.
G Strategy and Improvement, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia. Email: dianne.tucker@rch.org.au
H Ambulatory Services, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia. Email: chin-mae.raymundo@rch.org.au
I Corresponding author. Email: harriet.hiscock@rch.org.au
Australian Health Review 46(2) 197-203 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH21036
Submitted: 2 February 2021 Accepted: 22 July 2021 Published: 18 October 2021
Abstract
Objective This study determined caregivers’ evaluations of telehealth consultations for their child, preference over in-person consultations and potential cost savings by child condition, family socioeconomic status and location.
Methods A survey was conducted of 2436 caregivers attending a telehealth consultation with their child for a broad group of conditions between 3 June and 25 August 2020 at a tertiary paediatric hospital in Melbourne, Australia.
Results Most caregivers found telehealth consultations convenient, acceptable, safe and private, and capable of answering their questions and concerns. However, caregivers who spoke a language other than English and patients attending for behavioural and mental health, developmental or other (e.g. allied health) concerns were more likely to prefer in-person consultations over telehealth. Mean (±s.d.) reported cost savings on caregiver time were A$144.98 ± 99.04 per family per consultation, whereas mean (±s.d.) transport cost savings were A$84.90 ± 100.74 per family per consultation. Cost savings were greatest for families living in low and middle socioeconomic areas and regional or rural areas.
Conclusions Paediatric telehealth video consultations were largely viewed favourably by caregivers, except for those attending for behavioural and mental health or developmental concerns.
What is known about the topic? Adult consumers of telehealth consultations view them as useful, convenient and cost saving, but less is known about caregivers’ evaluations of telehealth consultations and potential cost savings for paediatric patients, and whether these differ by family location, socioeconomic status or child condition.
What does this paper add? This is the first Australian paper to report on caregivers’ evaluations across a range of paediatric conditions and locations. Most caregivers found telehealth consultations convenient, safe, acceptable, able to answer their questions and concerns about their child’s health and cost saving.
What are the implications for practitioners? Caregivers of children with behavioural, mental health or developmental problems were less likely to prefer telehealth over in-person consultations, so practitioners should consider providing such consultations in person.
Keywords: clinical services, consumers, health services research, paediatric, telehealth.
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