scholarly journals Key components and critical factors for developing a telehealth business framework: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Farnia Velayati ◽  
Haleh Ayatollahi ◽  
Morteza Hemmat ◽  
Reza Dehghan

Abstract Background Telehealth technology and related products can help to solve the problems associated with providing health care services and equal distribution of resources. However, in order to run a telehealth business successfully, key components and critical factors need to be taken into account. A telehealth business framework can provide a rich understanding of these components and factors. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the key components and critical factors for developing a telehealth business framework from the experts’ perspectives. Methods The present qualitative study was conducted in 2020. The participants were 22 experts in the fields of medical informatics, health information management, telemedicine, telehealth, health entrepreneurship, health insurance, and digital health start-ups. In depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, and the data were analyzed using framework analysis. Results Four main themes derived from data analysis. The themes included key components for developing a telehealth business framework, success factors, challenges, and barriers of a telehealth business. Overall, the results indicated that the key components in a telehealth business framework included created value, key resources, key activities, key partners, licenses and permissions, product pricing, revenue, marketing, supporting services, and getting feedback from customers. Although receiving support from different individuals and organizations as well as economic benefits of telehealth services may consider as success factors, there are a number of challenges and barriers which should be taken into account. Otherwise, these factors may hinder the success of a telehealth business. Conclusions The development of a telehealth business framework might be an important step towards developing a more complete business plan, facilitating the commercialization of telehealth products, and providing a solution for product sustainability in a competitive market. In the current study, the key components and critical factors for developing a telehealth business framework were identified; however, further research is needed to explore how these components and factors can be helpful in developing business plans and running a successful telehealth business.

2021 ◽  
pp. BJGP.2020.0749
Author(s):  
Victoria Hirst ◽  
Fiona Cuthill

Background: Although people experiencing homelessness (PEH) have the worst health outcomes in society, they have a low uptake of primary care services. GP outreach has developed as a way of increasing access into primary care but little is known about the experience of patients receiving care in this way. Aims: 1) To explore homeless patients’ experiences of GP care in community outreach settings in UK; 2) To seek staff/volunteer views on the strengths and weaknesses of the GP community outreach services. Design and setting: A qualitative study with PEH and staff/volunteers working in 3 different community outreach settings in the UK. Method: Individual semi-structured interviews with 22 PEH and two focus groups with key staff/volunteers. Data was analysed thematically using framework analysis. Findings: GP outreach services better enabled PEH to access medical care and staff/volunteers valued GP support to promote, and facilitate access to, health care services. In particular, findings illuminate the high value that PEH placed on the organisational environment of the GP outreach service. Valued aspects of GP outreach were identified as: 1) comfortable, safe and engendered a sense of belonging; 2) convenient, opportunistic and a one stop shop; and, 3) being heard, having more time and breaking down barriers. Conclusion: Organisational environment is important in enabling PEH to engage with GP services. The physical and organisational environment of the outreach settings were the most important factors: they created a space between the GP and patients where professional barriers were flattened and facilitated a therapeutic relationship.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sogand Tourani ◽  
Narges Rafiei ◽  
Shahnaz Rimaz ◽  
Seyed Kazem Malakouti ◽  
Alireza Heidari

BACKGROUND፡ Recently, one of the challenges in the health system of the country is the need for research contributing to policy-making. Therefore, it is crucial to develop activities in the field of knowledge Translation (KT). This study aimed to propose KT improvement strategies in universities of medical sciences in Iran.METHODS: In this qualitative study, 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants from the medical universities in Iran during January-July 2018. The transcribed documents were analyzed using the Gale framework analysis approach. Data organization was carried out using MAXQDA version 10 software.RESULTS: According to framework analysis, six KT improvement strategies were identified including improving the abilities and skills of researchers, improving the processes and quality of knowledge production, revising policies and laws, mproving the prerequisites, culture-building, and promoting the, use of evidence.CONCLUSION: Given the challenges and strategies outlined in this study, it seems that the mechanism of KT and its effects on improving health plans for policymakers and researchers has not been elucidated yet. Therefore, considerable changes in prerequisites, knowledge production processes, academic procedures, policies and laws are necessary for implementing KT in universities of medical sciences in Iran. 


Author(s):  
Gary Lamph ◽  
John Baker ◽  
Tommy Dickinson ◽  
Karina Lovell

Abstract Background: High numbers of people present with common mental health disorders and co-morbid personality disorder traits in primary care ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT) services in England and they receive sub-optimal treatments. No previous studies have explored the treatment experiences or needs of this patient population in England. Aims: This qualitative study explored the treatment experiences of patients (n = 22) with common mental health difficulties and co-morbid personality disorder as indicated by a score of 3 or more on the ‘Standardised Assessment of Personality – Abbreviated Scale’ (SAPAS) in receipt of primary care-based IAPT treatment. Method: A qualitative health research approach was used. Qualitative individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted. All interviews were audio recorded, data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a framework analysis approach. Results: Findings revealed a need to adapt away from prescriptive cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment models towards more flexible, personalised and individualised treatment with this patient group. Time to emotionally offload, build a therapeutic relationship and link past experiences to presenting problems were highlighted as important. Conclusions: For the first time, the needs and treatment experiences of this patient group have been explored. This paper provides a unique patient experience insight that should be considered when exploring new approaches to working with and developing effective interventions via a stepped care approach.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e032166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kehinde Okunade ◽  
Kennedy Bashan Nkhoma ◽  
Omolola Salako ◽  
David Akeju ◽  
Bassey Ebenso ◽  
...  

IntroductionPalliative care is a clinically and cost‐effective component of cancer services in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite the significant need for palliative cancer care in SSA, coverage remains inadequate. The exploration of digital health approaches could support increases in the quality and reach of palliative cancer care services in SSA. However, there is currently a lack of any theoretical underpinning or data to understand stakeholder drivers for digital health components in this context. This project addresses this gap through engaging with key stakeholders to determine data and information needs that could be supported through digital health interventions.Methods and analysisThis is a multicountry, cross-sectional, qualitative study conducted in Nigeria, Uganda and Zimbabwe. In-depth interviews will be conducted in patients with advanced cancer (n=20), caregivers (n=15), health professionals (n=20) and policy-makers (n=10) in each of the three participating countries. Data from a total of 195 interviews will transcribed verbatim and translated into English before being imported into NVivo software for deductive framework analysis. The analysis will seek to understand the acceptability and define mechanisms of patient-level data capture and usage via digital technologies.Ethics and disseminationEthics approvals have been obtained from the Institutional Review Boards of University of Leeds (Ref: MREC 18–032), Research Council of Zimbabwe (Ref: 03507), Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe (Ref: MRCZ/A/2421), Uganda Cancer Institute (Ref: 19–2018), Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (Ref: HS325ES) and College of Medicine University of Lagos (Ref: HREC/15/04/2015). The project seeks to determine optimal mechanisms for the design and development of subsequent digital health interventions to support development, access to, and delivery of palliative cancer care in SSA. Dissemination of these findings will occur through newsletters and press releases, conference presentations, peer-reviewed journals and social media.Trial registration numberISRCTN15727711


Author(s):  
Gloria Ejehiohen Iyawa ◽  
Marlien Herselman ◽  
Adele Botha

The purpose of this paper was to identify key participants, benefits, and challenges of a digital health innovation ecosystem in Namibia. The paper also aimed to identify strategies for implementing digital health innovation ecosystems in Namibia. This is a qualitative study that adopted semi-structured interviews in meeting the objectives of the study. The findings suggest that implementing digital health innovation ecosystems within the Namibian context will result in better processes of delivering healthcare services to patients. However, implementing such an ecosystem would require resources from both academic and governmental organizations. The need for skilled experts for managing the ecosystem would also be required. Hence, adopting the guidelines for implementing a digital health innovation ecosystem in developing countries, the study proposed guidelines which would make a digital health innovation ecosystem work for the Namibian context. The findings of this study can be used by healthcare managers within the Namibian context.


2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 1524-1533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rabiya Majeed-Ariss ◽  
A Jayanti ◽  
T Schulz ◽  
A Wearden ◽  
S Mitra

This qualitative study aimed to explore home haemodialysis and in-centre haemodialysis patients’ experience, to illuminate barriers and facilitators in the uptake and maintenance of home haemodialysis. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews with patients receiving home haemodialysis or in-centre haemodialysis were analysed using framework analysis. Four themes emerged: ‘perceptions of self’; ‘impact of haemodialysis on family’; ‘perceived advantages and disadvantages of home haemodialysis and in-centre haemodialysis’ and ‘practical issues and negotiating haemodialysis’. The lived experience of home haemodialysis was in contrast to the lived experience of in-centre haemodialysis and to the anticipated experience of home haemodialysis, highlighting patient factors that contributed to under-usage of home haemodialysis.


2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemeri Siqueira Pedroso ◽  
Félix Kessler ◽  
Flavio Pechansky

OBJECTIVE: To map treatment trajectories in a sample of male and female crack users through their narratives about the course of treatment seeking and their attempts to access health care services in Brazil. METHODS: Qualitative study of a purposive sample (five female and nine male hospitalized crack users) using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were transcribed and data explored using content analysis. RESULTS: Respondents reported difficulties getting access to hospitalization, relapse after discharge, and abandonment of treatment. There seems to be a peculiar model of behavior for women and men while dealing with craving for crack: while women got involved with prostitution and consequently became infected with HIV, every men of the sample reported criminal involvement. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between relapse and a social environment conducive to consumption, associated with belief or disbelief in spiritual support, prostitution, and the legal complications arising from the use of crack, are relevant issues and should be taken into consideration in the development of preventive actions aimed at this specific population.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Mohammadpour ◽  
Peivand Bastani ◽  
Arash Ghanbarzadegan ◽  
Jamshid Bahmai

Abstract Background As the strategies proposed for oral health improvement in developed countries do not adapt for the setting of the developing ones, this study is to identify the challenges of oral health policy making in developing countries.Methods It was a qualitative study conducted in 2019 in Iran as a middle-eastern developing country. The study population included all the experts who have enough experience in the scope and have the eagerness to participate. Snowball sampling was used to include the participants and after 12 semi-structured interviews saturation was achieved. Guba and Lincoln criteria containing acceptability, validity, reliability, and transferability were used to assure the study reliability and finally five-stage framework analysis method was used to analyze the data.Results The analysis of the results of the interviews resulted in the identification of 7 main themes and 20 sub-themes as the main challenges of achieving oral health in a developing country. The main themes identified were: policy making, implementing, educational, stewardship, prevention, insurance, and resource allocating. Conclusion: According to the present results, it seems that national coverage of oral health and the integration of these services in prevention ones and serious attention to the private sector can be considered as the most important strategies for achieving improved oral health.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Badelisile M. Maseko ◽  
Rene Van Wyk ◽  
Aletta Odendaal

Orientation: There is a scant availability of clear practice guidelines for the implementation of team coaching in organisations. Challenges and enabling factors in the implementation of team coaching require further exploration.Research purpose: This study aims to develop a conceptual framework that identifies the critical success factors that play a role in the implementation of team coaching in organisations.Motivation for the study: This study contributes towards the understanding of team coaching implementation in the workplace. Informed knowledge of critical factors may guide the practice of team coaching and assist in the development of a conceptual framework for such coaching.Research approach/design and method: A constructivist qualitative research method was adopted. A case study approach was used, with seven experienced subject matter experts selected by means of purposive snowballing. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis.Main findings: Results of the thematic analysis indicate that to integrate successful team coaching into any organisation, effective analysis of an organisational context is required, that is, leadership stakeholders, team effectiveness, competency of a coach and employee engagement. Constraints that may prevent successful implementation of team coaching are identified.Practical/managerial implications: The findings provide a platform to enhance the understanding and knowledge of the complexities of team coaching within organisations.Contribution/value-add: The main contribution of the study is the identification of critical factors in the pre-, during and post-implementation phases of team coaching. This conceptual framework could serve as a guide for team coaching interventions in South African contexts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer E Kettle ◽  
Amy C Hyde ◽  
Tom Frawley ◽  
Clare Granger ◽  
Sarah J Longstaff ◽  
...  

Objective: To compare young people’s experiences of wearing a range of orthodontic appliances. Design: A cross-sectional, qualitative study with purposive sampling. Setting: UK dental teaching hospital. Participants: Twenty-six orthodontic patients aged 11–17 years. Methods: Patients participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Results: Young people reported physical, practical and emotional impacts from their appliances. Despite these reported impacts, participants described ‘getting used’ to and, therefore, not being bothered by their appliance. Framework analysis of the data identified a multi-dimensional social process of managing everyday life with an appliance. This involves addressing the ‘dys-appearance’ of the body through physically adapting to an appliance. This process also includes psychological approaches, drawing on social networks, developing strategies and situating experiences in a longer-term context. Engaging in this process allowed young people to address the physical, practical and emotional impacts of their appliances. Conclusion: This qualitative research has identified how young people manage everyday life with an appliance. Understanding this process will help orthodontists to support their patients.


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