Understanding the general practice of telemonitoring integrated care: a qualitative perspective
Josephine S. F. Chow
A B C E , Andrew Knight A D , Anna Disney A , Friedbert Kohler A D , Justin Duggan A , Nutan Maurya A and Veronica Gonzalez-Arce A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
B University of Sydney, Faculty of Nursing, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
C University of Western Sydney, Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
D University of New South Wales, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, NSW, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: josephine.chow@sswahs.nsw.gov.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 27(5) 364-370 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY20215
Submitted: 26 September 2020 Accepted: 24 February 2021 Published: 7 July 2021
Abstract
Developed in partnership with GPs, a new telehealth model of care using remote monitoring, known as telemonitoring (TM), was introduced in South Western Sydney (SWS) in 2015, transmitting clinical readings taken at home to telehealth coordinators. This study explored the experiences, beliefs and attitudes of general practice staff to identify barriers to and facilitators of the SWS TM model. Responses were collected from a purposive sample of 10 participants via semistructured interviews (n = 9 interview sessions) and the resulting transcripts were analysed thematically. Four themes were identified: lack of understanding and involvement; patient-centred care and empowerment; clinical practice and process factors; and system-wide communication and collaboration. Participants recognised some actual and potential benefits of TM, but barriers to TM were identified across all themes. Feedback provided by participants has informed the ongoing formulation of a more ‘GP-led’ model of TM.
Keywords: GPs, integrated care, patient-centred care, telehealth, telemonitoring.
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