dc.contributor.advisor |
Honey, M |
en |
dc.contributor.advisor |
Day, K |
en |
dc.contributor.author |
Lucas, Julie Anne |
en |
dc.date.accessioned |
2013-04-26T02:16:46Z |
en |
dc.date.issued |
2013 |
en |
dc.identifier.uri |
http://hdl.handle.net/2292/20430 |
en |
dc.description.abstract |
With the centralisation of healthcare services internationally and in NZ it has become increasingly difficult to attract health professionals to rural and remote communities. This has meant populations in these areas face challenges accessing comprehensive healthcare. Politicians and executive management teams in health are looking for new and innovative ways to deliver sustainable, equitable healthcare to all. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Information Technology (IT) group have been working together responding to the needs of communities with the integration of technology into healthcare facilities. Healthcare faces incredible challenges, not only in economics, but also with higher expectations of the public. Telemedicine is seen as a solution, as it can bring specialist care at a distance to rural areas through technology. However telemedicine has not integrated well into some areas of health such as emergency care and the West Coast of NZ is not exempt from this international issue. The purpose of this study is to explore clinicians’ perceptions of telemedicine and the barriers and opportunities it may provide to a rural or remote Emergency Department. This is a descriptive study involving semi structured interviews with a purposeful sample of healthcare professionals working in emergency services for the West Coast District Health Board (WCDHB). The study also sought expert opinion from four sites using telemedicine in Queensland, Australia. The results show clinicians could see potential benefits for the use of telemedicine in rural Emergency Departments, but lacked the understanding of how it could be integrated into their everyday work. Barriers identified were the reliability of Internet connections and speed; related to bandwidth; additional workload; concerns that telemedicine might be a distraction from providing care; access to the technology when it is needed; patients’ perception of telemedicine and also concerns around privacy. Preparation carried out in Queensland, Australia prior to the implementation of telemedicine and the use of coordination centres seems to have assisted the integration of telemedicine into Emergency Departments in rural areas. Thereby seeking the views and experiences of those clinicians working on the front line, along with expert opinion from Queensland, Australian counterparts, a comprehensive understanding is expected which will be used to inform telemedicine use within an Emergency Department in rural NZ. With commitment and adequate resourcing, the barriers to telemedicine can be overcome, opening up the opportunity for people in rural and remote communities to gain, and sustain, equity of access to healthcare. |
en |
dc.publisher |
ResearchSpace@Auckland |
en |
dc.relation.ispartof |
Masters Thesis - University of Auckland |
en |
dc.rights |
Items in ResearchSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. Previously published items are made available in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. |
en |
dc.rights.uri |
https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htm |
en |
dc.rights.uri |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/nz/ |
en |
dc.title |
Clinicians’ Perceptions of Telemedicine: Opportunities and Barriers for Emergency Medicine |
en |
dc.type |
Thesis |
en |
thesis.degree.grantor |
The University of Auckland |
en |
thesis.degree.level |
Masters |
en |
dc.rights.holder |
Copyright: The Author |
en |
pubs.elements-id |
379339 |
en |
pubs.record-created-at-source-date |
2013-04-26 |
en |
dc.identifier.wikidata |
Q112900771 |
|