Sustaining telehealth among cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services: a qualitative framework study
Open accessAbstract
Aims: As we move into a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, cardiac and pulmonary services are considering how to sustain telehealth modalities long-term. It is important to learn from services that had greater telehealth adoption and determine factors that support sustained use. We aimed to describe how telehealth has been used to deliver cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services across Queensland, Australia. Methods and results: Semi-structured interviews (n = 8) and focus groups (n = 7) were conducted with 27 cardiac and pulmonary clinicians and managers from health services across Queensland between June and August 2021. Interview questions were guided by Greenhalgh’s Non-adoption, Abandonment, Scale-up, Spread, and Sustainability framework. Hybrid inductive/deductive framework analysis elicited six main themes: (i) Variable levels of readiness; (ii) Greater telehealth uptake in pulmonary vs. cardiac rehabilitation; (iii) Safety and risk management; (iv) Client willingness—targeted support required; (v) Equity and access; and (vi) New models of care. We found that sustained integration of telehealth in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation will require contributions from all stakeholders: consumers (e.g. co-design), clinicians (e.g. shared learning), health services (e.g. increasing platform functionality), and the profession (e.g. sharing resources). Conclusion: There are opportunities for telehealth programmes servicing large geographic areas and opportunities to increase programme participation rates more broadly. Centralized models of care serving large geographic areas could maximize sustainability with current resource limitations; however, realizing the full potential of telehealth will require additional funding for supporting infrastructure and workforce. Individuals and organizations both have roles to play in sustaining telehealth in cardiac and pulmonary services.
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- Authors
- Thomas, E. E., Chambers, R., Phillips, S., Rawstorn, J. C., & Cartledge, S.
- Affiliations
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Metro North Hospital and Health Service (AU)
- Princess Alexandra Hospital (AU)
- Deakin University (AU)
- Monash University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Thomas, Emma E
- Venue
- European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2022-12-05
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 795-803
- ISSN
- 1474-5151 (ISSN-L)
- 1873-1953
- OpenAlex
- W4310710753
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 3
- FWCI
- 3.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- National Heart Foundation of Australia
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac Health and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Keywords
- telemedicine, cardiac rehabilitation, pulmonary rehabilitation, COVID-19 pandemic, health care delivery, models of care, risk management, co-design, Queensland
- MeSH terms
- Australia, Humans, Focus Groups, Telemedicine, Qualitative Research, Pandemics
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