Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27855681›Full record

Trial reportBMC palliative care2016

Using telehealth to support end of life care in the community: a feasibility study.

Jennifer J Tieman, Kate Swetenham, Deidre D Morgan, Timothy H To, David C Currow

Abstract readClinical Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC palliative care, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Role of Digital Health on Palliative Care: Umbrella Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025
    Pooled it
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  4. Pooled it
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  10. Technology to Support Older Adults in Home Palliative Care: A Scoping Review.The American journal of hospice & palliative care · 2024
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Jennifer J TiemanPalliative and Supportive Services, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia. jennifer.tieman@flinders.edu.au.
Kate SwetenhamSouthern Adelaide Palliative Services, Repatriation General Hospital, Daw Park, South Australia, Australia.
Deidre D MorganPalliative and Supportive Services, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
Timothy H ToSouthern Adelaide Palliative Services, Repatriation General Hospital, Daw Park, South Australia, Australia.
David C CurrowPalliative and Supportive Services, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTelehealth is being used increasingly in providing care to patients in the community setting. Telehealth enhanced service delivery could offer new ways of managing load and care prioritisation for palliative care patients living in the community. The study assesses the feasibility of a telehealth-based model of service provision for community based palliative care patients, carers and clinicians.

methodsThis study was a prospective cohort study of a telehealth-based intervention for community based patients of a specialist palliative care service living in Southern Adelaide, South Australia. Participants were 43 community living patients enrolled in the Southern Adelaide Palliative Service. To be eligible patients needed to be over 18 years and have an Australian modified Karnofksy Performance Score > 40. Exclusion criteria included a demonstrated inability to manage the hardware or technology (unless living with a carer who could manage the technology) or non-English speaking without a suitable carer/proxy. Participants received video-based conferences between service staff and the patient/carer; virtual case conferences with the patient/carer, service staff and patient's general practitioner (GP); self-report assessment tools for patient and carer; and remote activity monitoring (ACTRN12613000733774).

resultsThe average age of patients was 71.6 years (range: 49 to 91 years). All 43 patients managed to enter data using the telehealth system. Self-reported data entered by patients and carers did identify changes in performance status leading to changes in care. Over 4000 alerts were generated. Staff reported that videocalls were similar (22.3%) or better/much better (65.2%) than phone calls and similar (63.1%) or better/much better (27.1%) than face-to-face. Issues with the volume of alerts generated, technical support required and the impact of service change were identified.

conclusionsThe trial showed that patients and carers could manage the technology and provide data that would otherwise not have been available to the palliative care service.

trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000733774 registered on 02/07/2013.

Indexed as

TelemedicineCommunity Health ServicesFeasibility StudiesFemaleHome Care ServicesHumansMaleModels, OrganizationalPalliative CareProgram EvaluationProspective StudiesSouth AustraliaStandard of CareTerminal CareHome care servicesPalliative careTelemedicine

Identifiers

PMID27855681
PMCPMC5114812

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.