A pilot study of videotelephone-based support for newly diagnosed paediatric oncology patients and their families.
As part of the preparation for a randomized controlled trial, we conducted a pilot study to investigate the feasibility of providing videotelephone-based support to a sample of families (n = 8) with a child diagnosed with cancer, returning home for the first time after diagnosis and initial treatment. Seven of these families received support via videotelephone over a three-month period. Twenty videotelephone calls were made totalling 400 minutes (median 21 min, IQR 16-24). All videotelephone calls involved the specialist nurse providing support to mothers (85%) or fathers (15%) and involved communicating directly with the patient in most of the calls (55%). Social workers were involved in three calls (15%). All families expressed satisfaction with services delivered in this way. There were few technical problems. The use of a hybrid approach to providing videotelephony, using the family home computer and Internet connection for video and the home telephone line for full-duplex audio, was less costly than the custom-made device used in past studies.
Bensink
Mark
M
Centre for Online Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. m.bensink@coh.uq.edu.au
Armfield
Nigel
N
Irving
Helen
H
Hallahan
Andrew
A
Theodoros
Deborah
D
Russell
Trevor
T
Barnett
Adrian
A
Scuffham
Paul
P
Wootton
Richard
R
D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000592:standards; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000191:economics; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D049269:Videoconferencing / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*