Flexible patient-reported outcome-based telehealth follow-up for type 1 diabetes: A qualitative study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Flexible patient-reported outcome-based telehealth follow-up for type 1 diabetes:

T2 - A qualitative study

AU - Jensen, Annesofie L

AU - Schougaard, Liv Marit Valen

AU - Laurberg, Tinne

AU - Hansen, Troels Krarup

AU - Lomborg, Kirsten

N1 - © 2023 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic College of Caring Science.

PY - 2023/9

Y1 - 2023/9

N2 - BACKGROUND: Successful diabetes management requires collaboration between patients and healthcare professionals and should be aligned with an individual's condition and resources. We developed a flexible, individualised, patient-reported outcome (PRO)-based telehealth intervention called "DiabetesFlex Care" in which patients completed an annual self-reported questionnaire from home, one required face-to-face appointment, and two optional outpatient consultations. In this study, we investigated patients' experiences using DiabetesFlex Care.METHODS: We conducted a qualitative, interpretive descriptive (ID) study based on semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of 36 patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) who had used DiabetesFlex Care. Recorded audio data were transcribed and analysed inductively using the constant comparative method.RESULTS: DiabetesFlex Care changed participants' perspectives on living with diabetes. Patients became more involved in their own care and found that DiabetesFlex Care helped to make their conversations with healthcare professionals more relevant. Furthermore, participants appreciated the ability to both choose the format of their appointments (face-to-face vs. phone call) and cancel unnecessary appointments.CONCLUSION: DiabetesFlex Care was a flexible and inclusive health service that enabled patients to take more responsibility for their own diabetes management. The questionnaire-based approach in DiabetesFlex Care can help healthcare professionals systematically account for patients' perspectives and support user involvement and self-management. By extension, this approach can also help minimise healthcare-related disruptions in patients' lives. Further studies are needed to determine whether flexible PRO-based telehealth is an acceptable solution for all patients.

AB - BACKGROUND: Successful diabetes management requires collaboration between patients and healthcare professionals and should be aligned with an individual's condition and resources. We developed a flexible, individualised, patient-reported outcome (PRO)-based telehealth intervention called "DiabetesFlex Care" in which patients completed an annual self-reported questionnaire from home, one required face-to-face appointment, and two optional outpatient consultations. In this study, we investigated patients' experiences using DiabetesFlex Care.METHODS: We conducted a qualitative, interpretive descriptive (ID) study based on semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of 36 patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) who had used DiabetesFlex Care. Recorded audio data were transcribed and analysed inductively using the constant comparative method.RESULTS: DiabetesFlex Care changed participants' perspectives on living with diabetes. Patients became more involved in their own care and found that DiabetesFlex Care helped to make their conversations with healthcare professionals more relevant. Furthermore, participants appreciated the ability to both choose the format of their appointments (face-to-face vs. phone call) and cancel unnecessary appointments.CONCLUSION: DiabetesFlex Care was a flexible and inclusive health service that enabled patients to take more responsibility for their own diabetes management. The questionnaire-based approach in DiabetesFlex Care can help healthcare professionals systematically account for patients' perspectives and support user involvement and self-management. By extension, this approach can also help minimise healthcare-related disruptions in patients' lives. Further studies are needed to determine whether flexible PRO-based telehealth is an acceptable solution for all patients.

KW - diabetes care

KW - diabetes management

KW - interpretive description

KW - outpatient care

KW - patient engagement

KW - patient involvement

KW - patient-reported outcome measures

KW - telehealth care

KW - type 1 diabetes

KW - user involvement

U2 - 10.1111/scs.13154

DO - 10.1111/scs.13154

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36775917

SN - 0283-9318

VL - 37

SP - 662

EP - 676

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences

IS - 3

ER -