Experiences of rural clinicians accessing specialist support via telehealth for trauma and emergency care in Queensland, Australia

Abstract

Objective: Trauma and emergency patients presenting to rural facilities require time-critical treatment and management that is sometimes beyond the scope of clinicians in the facility. In Queensland, Australia’s second largest state, telehealth infrastructure facilitates 24/7 communication between rural clinicians and tertiary-based critical care specialists. We sought to understand the current state of Queensland’s emergency telehealth system from the perspective of direct end-users to inform future improvement efforts and resource allocation. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 rural Queensland clinicians who use telehealth to access specialist support during critical presentations. Qualitative data were analysed in three inductive phases: immersion; a combination of process coding and in vivo coding; and focused coding. Results: The findings highlight that emergency telehealth support provides benefits beyond better patient care, as it fosters collegiality and alleviates professional isolation. Three key themes were identified: (1) Strategies for overcoming challenges in providing trauma and emergency care in rural Queensland; (2) Factors that affect perceptions of telehealth effectiveness; and (3) How support for rural trauma and emergency care can be improved. To provide context for the themes, a summary of scene-setting data is also provided. Conclusions: There are both advantages and disadvantages for rural clinicians accessing telehealth specialist support for critical care. Although telehealth is seen as a vital service that supports rural clinicians and benefits patient care, the findings suggest that tools, systems, and processes surrounding rural trauma and emergency care could benefit from streamlining, integration, and the introduction of fit-for-purpose technologies. Addressing limitations of efficiencies would improve support for rural clinicians and likely improve patient outcomes for rural communities.