Bridging the Gap: Examining Perceptions of a Telemedicine Network for Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Abstract

This research aimed to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of a telemedicine program (Peds-TECH) in delivering care to critically ill pediatric patients in the emergency department by exploring the experiences of parents/caregivers and physicians. Sequential explanatory mixed methods were employed, in which quantitative methods of inquiry were followed by qualitative methods. Data was collected through the use of a survey and semi-structured interviews, in accordance with positivist and constructivist-interpretivist paradigms respectively. Results outline perceptions of telemedicine within 5 themes developed for each participant group. Among parents/caregivers themes were: Confident in the Care Environment, Forever Grateful, The Way of the Future, The Experience of Being Transferred, and Trouble Connecting. Among physicians themes were: Support and Validation, Team Effort, Providing Visual Perspective, Institutional Understanding, and Communicating Expectations. The findings describe positive perceptions of telemedicine for emergency department pediatric care, as well as barriers and facilitators to its use. The research also discusses implications for practice and policy, with recommendations for overcoming barriers and leveraging facilitators when implementing telemedicine programming.