Hospice staff attitudes towards telehospice.
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Date
2004-10-29
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Abstract
Telemedicine defined as the use of advanced telecommunication technologies to bridge geographic distance and improve delivery of care is perceived by many as a way to eliminate barriers to quality care at the end of life The use of telemedicine in hospice known as telehospice is a novel approach to such care and few pilot studies have investigated its feasibility The purpose of this study was to assess hospice providers perceptions of telehospice A focus group session was conducted with 10 staff members from five hospice agencies in Missouri Participants included administrators nurses and social workers Overall providers had a positive perception of telehospice and found that the use of videophone technology enhanced care by enabling providers patients and family members a means to communicate However they emphasized that it was an additional tool and not a substitute for actual visits Issues of privacy and usability were also raised