Broadband nursing: A multi-method evaluation of a one-way video-conferencing health information and advice service: "InVision"

The UK Government see digital interactive television (DiTV) as an effective delivery platform for health information. This study examines use of a one‐way DiTV video‐conferencing facility whereby the public received advice from a nurse visible on their TV. A multi‐method approach was used, combining computer logs, telephone and face‐to‐face interviews with users and nurse call‐handlers and consultation scripts. Although the service was well received, usage was low, possibly due to the novelty of the system. Clear differences of opinion emerged between nurses and the public regarding its benefits. Nurses enthused about the facility to transmit images and video‐clips to aid patients; whereas service users praised more the closer inter‐personal communication afforded by seeing the nurse. The relative ease of system use, and advantages over traditional telephone enquiry services indicate that this exciting and innovative initiative may well feature in future National Health Service plans.

[1]  Rachael Robinson,et al.  A comparison of computer and questionnaire methods of history-taking in a genito-urinary clinic , 1992 .

[2]  Muneo Kaigo,et al.  Can the WSIS declaration principle and plan of action work in Japan? Digital stratification of Japanese society , 2005, Telematics Informatics.

[3]  R. Mayer,et al.  Multimedia learning: Are we asking the right questions? , 1997 .

[4]  C. Regnard,et al.  Using videoconferencing in palliative care , 2000, Palliative medicine.

[5]  Abigail Sellen,et al.  Remote Conversations: The Effects of Mediating Talk With Technology , 1995, Hum. Comput. Interact..

[6]  A. O’Cathain,et al.  How helpful is NHS Direct? Postal survey of callers , 2000, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[7]  Richard L. Daft,et al.  Organizational information requirements, media richness and structural design , 1986 .

[8]  John Short,et al.  The social psychology of telecommunications , 1976 .

[9]  L. Machet.  [Multicentre randomised control trial comparing real time teledermatology with conventional outpatient dermatological care: societal cost-benefit analysis]. , 2002, Annales de dermatologie et de venereologie.

[10]  P. Whitten,et al.  Systematic review of studies of patient satisfaction with telemedicine , 2000, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[11]  B. Johnston,et al.  Outcomes of the Kaiser Permanente Tele-Home Health Research Project. , 2000, Archives of family medicine.

[12]  Claire Mayhew,et al.  Educating the isolated ageing: improving the quality of life of the housebound elderly through educational teleconferencing , 1996 .

[13]  R. Daft,et al.  Information Richness. A New Approach to Managerial Behavior and Organization Design , 1983 .

[14]  R. W. Lucas,et al.  Psychiatrists and a Computer as Interrogators of Patients with Alcohol-Related Illnesses: A Comparison , 1977, British Journal of Psychiatry.

[15]  James Munro,et al.  Evaluation of NHS Direct first wave sites Second interim report to the Department of Health , 1998 .

[16]  Paul Huntington,et al.  Health kiosk use: a national comparative study , 2001, Aslib Proc..

[17]  A. Joinson.  Self‐disclosure in computer‐mediated communication: The role of self‐awareness and visual anonymity , 2001 .

[18]  L. Spencer,et al.  Qualitative data analysis for applied policy research , 2002 .

[19]  P H Clarke,et al.  A referrer and patient evaluation of a telepsychiatry consultation–liaison service in South Australia , 1997, Journal of telemedicine and telecare.

[20]  K. McPherson,et al.  Cancer patients' information needs and information seeking behaviour: in depth interview study , 2000, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[21]  T S Nesbitt,et al.  Patient satisfaction with telemedicine consultation in primary care: comparison of ratings of medical and mental health applications. , 1998, Telemedicine journal : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association.

[22]  Sarah Gorin,et al.  An exploration of consumer involvement in NHS Research & Development managed by Department of Health Regional Offices , 2001 .

[23]  Steve Whittaker,et al.  Rethinking video as a technology for interpersonal communications: theory and design implications , 1995, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Stud..

[24]  J. Walther.  Computer-Mediated Communication , 1996 .

[25]  Barrie Gunter,et al.  The general public's use of (and attitudes towards) interactive, personal digital health information and advisory services , 2004, J. Documentation.

[26]  William C. Ogden,et al.  Visible speech improves human language understanding: Implications for speech processing systems , 1995, Artificial Intelligence Review.

[27]  Wijnand A. IJsselsteijn,et al.  Social Presence in a Home Tele-Application , 2001, Cyberpsychology Behav. Soc. Netw..

[28]  Peter Williams,et al.  The characteristics of users and non-users of a digital interactive television service - case study: the Living Health channel , 2002 .

[29]  C. Warwick.  The new NHS: modern dependable , 1998 .

[30]  Peter Williams,et al.  Establishing metrics for the evaluation of touch screen kiosks , 2001, J. Inf. Sci..

[31]  R Brown,et al.  Distance education and caregiver support groups: comparison of traditional and telephone groups. , 1999, The Journal of head trauma rehabilitation.

[32]  Peter Williams,et al.  Using information and communication technology with special educational needs students: The views of frontline professionals , 2005, Aslib Proc..

[33]  M. Dongier,et al.  Telepsychiatry: Psychiatric Consultation through two-way television. A controlled study. , 1986, Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie.

[34]  J. Walther.  Group and Interpersonal Effects in International Computer-Mediated Collaboration , 1997 .

[35]  Yitzchak M. Binik,et al.  From the couch to the keyboard: Psychotherapy in cyberspace , 1997 .

[36]  A. Allen,et al.  Telemedicine technology and clinical applications. , 1995, JAMA.

[37]  M Rademaker,et al.  Diagnostic accuracy of teledermatology: results of a preliminary study in New Zealand. , 1997, The New Zealand medical journal.

[38]  Peter Williams,et al.  The information needs of perioperative staff: a preparatory study for a proposed specialist library for theatres (NeLH). , 2005, Health information and libraries journal.