Telemedicine in haemato-oncology and HSCT: A realist evaluation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A realist evaluation of telemedicine using telephone to deliver remote consultations in haemato-oncology and Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: What works, for whom, in what circumstances, and why?
IRAS ID
327531
Contact name
Michelle Kenyon
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Surrey
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Telemedicine, use of telecommunication and information technology to provide remote healthcare, is a suggested alternative to face-to-face consultations to support NHS sustainability, increase quality and improve patient experience at lower cost. Furthermore, telemedicine using telephone, has potential to improve access, convenience, and choice and has been the most common alternative to face-to-face consultations. However, in addition to benefits, telemedicine literature also describes health disparity and inequality experienced by some.
Telemedicine using telephone in routine remote consultations for haemato-oncology and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients is the chosen research area. The extreme clinical vulnerability of this group, high supportive care needs and complex disease behaviour means that consequences of missing crucial information during remote consultation is likely to be more detrimental than other settings. It is important to understand what really works, for who and in which circumstances to achieve intended (or unintended) outcomes.
This doctoral study will deploy realist methodology and builds on an already completed realist synthesis of telemedicine literature reporting haemato-oncology and HSCT patients and HCPs participating in routine monitoring and follow-up care via telemedicine. The proposed research is a mixed methods realist evaluation of telemedicine (remote consultations using telephone) follow-up in haemato-oncology and HSCT at a single UK NHS hospital. Data will be collected over 3 years and will include survey, observation, interview and focus groups with patient, carer and HCP participants.
This research aims to offer explanation of how remote consultations can work in the setting of haemato-oncology and HSCT. The understanding generated is expected to identify groups well-served by remote consultations and reveal those hard to reach and for whom service adaptations may be beneficial. The study outputs are highly likely to contain novel and significant contributions to remote consultation understanding in this setting and cancer more widely with implications for policymakers and practitioners.REC name
London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/LO/0757
Date of REC Opinion
11 Sep 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion