Telemedicine in Greenland: Citizens' Perspectives.
Telemedicine may have the possibility to provide better access to healthcare delivery for the citizens. Telemedicine in arctic remote areas must be tailored according to the needs of the local population. Therefore, we need more knowledge about their needs and their view of telemedicine.



The aim of this study has been to explore how citizens living in the Greenlandic settlements experience the possibilities and challenges of telemedicine when receiving healthcare delivery in everyday life.



Case study design was chosen as the overall research design. Qualitative interviews (n = 14) were performed and participant observations (n = 80 h) carried out in the local healthcare center in the settlements and towns. A logbook was kept and updated each day during the field research in Greenland. Observations were made of activities in the settlements.



Data collected on citizens' views about the possibilities of using telemedicine in Greenland revealed the following findings: Greenlandic citizens are positive toward telemedicine, and telemedicine can help facilitate improved access to healthcare for residents in these Greenlandic settlements. Regarding challenges in using telemedicine in Greenland, the geographical and cultural context hinders accessibility to the Greenlandic healthcare system, and telemedicine equipment is not sufficiently mobile.



Greenlandic citizens are positive toward telemedicine and regard telemedicine as a facilitator for improved access for healthcare in the Greenlandic settlements. We have identified challenges, such as geographical and cultural context, that hinder accessibility to the Greenlandic healthcare system.
1 Queen Ingrid Primary Healthcare Center , Nuuk, Greenland .|2 Laboratory of Welfare technologies-Telehealth and Telerehabilitation, SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University (AAU) , Aalborg, Denmark .
Lasse O
LO
Nielsen
2 Laboratory of Welfare technologies-Telehealth and Telerehabilitation, SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University (AAU) , Aalborg, Denmark .
Hans J
HJ
Krebs
2 Laboratory of Welfare technologies-Telehealth and Telerehabilitation, SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University (AAU) , Aalborg, Denmark .|3 Office of Nursing Research and Innovation-Nursing Institute and Kaufman Center for Heart Failure-Heart and Vascular Institute , Cleveland Clinic Health System, Ohio.
Nancy M
NM
Albert
4 Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California , Davis, California.
Nick
N
Anderson
5 Betty Irene Moore Nursing School, University of California , Davis, California.
Sheryl
S
Catz
6 Partners Healthcare, Connected Health Innovation, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusettes.
Timothy M
TM
Hale
7 Laboratory of Cardiology , Medical Informatics, Department of Health Science and Technology, AAU, Aalborg, Denmark .
John
J
Hansen
8 Institute of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Greenland and Department of Clinical Research, OPEN-Odense Patient data Explorative Network, University of Southern Denmark , Odense, Denmark .
Lise
L
Hounsgaard
5 Betty Irene Moore Nursing School, University of California , Davis, California.
Tae Youn
TY
Kim
9 CITRIS, Center in the Interest of Society, University of California-Berkeley , Berkeley, California.
David
D
Lindeman
10 Institute of Psychology, Aarhus University , Aarhus, Denmark .
Helle
H
Spindler
11 Univeristy of California , Davis Health System, Berkeley, California.
James P
JP
Marcin
9 CITRIS, Center in the Interest of Society, University of California-Berkeley , Berkeley, California.|11 Univeristy of California , Davis Health System, Berkeley, California.
Thomas
T
Nesbitt
5 Betty Irene Moore Nursing School, University of California , Davis, California.
Heather M
HM
Young
2 Laboratory of Welfare technologies-Telehealth and Telerehabilitation, SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University (AAU) , Aalborg, Denmark .|9 CITRIS, Center in the Interest of Society, University of California-Berkeley , Berkeley, California.|11 Univeristy of California , Davis Health System, Berkeley, California.
Birthe
B
Dinesen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006116:Greenland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
e-Health; telehealth; telemedicine; telenursing