Optimizing Telehealth Services
A Mixed-Methods Needs Assessment Conducted Among Community Health Center Patients
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9103271 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Allison Pack (0000-0001-5802-293X, Northwestern University, corresponding author), Allison P Pack (Northwestern University), Paula Rusca (Erie Family Health Centers, Chicago, IL), Josephine Llaneza (Erie Family Health Centers, Chicago, IL), Guisselle Wismer (0000-0002-2407-662X, Northwestern University, corresponding author), Wei Huang (0000-0002-5095-3972, Northwestern University, corresponding author), Rodolfo Zuleta (Northwestern University, corresponding author), Stacy Cooper Bailey (0000-0002-2566-3789, Northwestern University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 30-36 |
| Publication date | 2024-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Medical Care (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948 |
| Publisher | Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001932 |
| PMID | 37796220 |
| OpenAlex | W4387376868 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 16 |
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic increased telehealth services in federally funded community health centers (CHCs). Yet little is known about common determinants of use among CHC patients. OBJECTIVE: We examined the use of telehealth among patient participants at 1 large CHC network providing care to underserved populations at urban and suburban sites in the Midwest. METHODS: We conducted a mixed-methods study utilizing a sequential explanatory design. Participants were English and/or Spanish-speaking adults who attended ≥1 visits for themselves or their child over a 12-month period at any practice location. Research staff conducted a structured phone survey of eligible adults. The results subsequently facilitated purposive sampling of telehealth "users" and "nonusers" for qualitative phone interviews. RESULTS: The survey participants included 500 adults. Most had access to the resources needed to utilize telehealth, including a smartphone (90.4%) and home internet (83.0%). About half (50.8%) "rarely or never" had problems with internet speed, reliability, or quality. Most (81.1%) were aware of the patient portal and 59.8% had utilized video visits. Participants who were Spanish-speaking and with limited English proficiency faced some of the greatest barriers. Qualitative interview participants included 12 users and 12 nonusers of telehealth. Users found telehealth convenient and efficient, while nonusers lacked awareness about how telehealth services could be beneficial or needed assistance to sign up, join, or use telehealth. CONCLUSIONS: Most participants had the resources and awareness necessary to use telehealth services. Those who use them appreciate the convenience and efficiency. Nevertheless, additional support may be needed to prevent telehealth from exacerbating health inequities
Environmental health · Family medicine · Health care · Nonprobability sampling · Phone · Population · Telehealth · Telemedicine · The Internet · World Wide Web · Computer Science · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Medicine · Mobile Health and mHealth Applications · Nursing · Psychology · Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
Qualitative methods in implementation research
Patient Characteristics Associated With Telemedicine Access for Primary and Specialty Ambulatory Care During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Telemedicine implementation and use in community health centers during Covid-19
Sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research
Expediting the Analysis of Qualitative Data in Evaluation
How Many Interviews Are Enough
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |