Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40012070›Full record

SynthesisBMC palliative care2025

Telehealth adoption in palliative care: a systematic review of patient barriers and facilitators.

Ann Kirby, Donal Griffin, Ciara Heavin, Frances J Drummond, Ciara McGrath, Fiona Kiely

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC palliative care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
14citing 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

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

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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

6 authors.

Ann KirbyDepartment of Economics, Cork University Business School, Aras na Laoi, Western Rd, University College Cork, Cork, T12 CY82, Ireland. a.kirby@ucc.ie.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9043-5483
Donal GriffinInstitute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Ciara HeavinDepartment of Business Information Systems, Cork University Business School, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Frances J DrummondBreakthrough Cancer Research, Glenlee, Western Rd., Cork, Ireland.
Ciara McGrathMarymount University Hospital & Hospice, Marymount, Curraheen Rd., Cork, Ireland.
Fiona KielyMarymount University Hospital & Hospice, Marymount, Curraheen Rd., Cork, Ireland.

Funding

MSD Oncology none
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTelehealth is increasingly used in palliative care and its application is seen as one possible solution to improve access to palliative care services, thereby providing additional support for patients with advanced cancer. By completing a systematic review of the literature this research identifies the barriers and facilitators of telehealth adoption by patients with advanced cancer to determine the type of healthcare services needed to meet their needs.

methodsA systematic review of the literature was conducted on CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, IEEE Xplore as well as grey literature to identify the barriers and facilitators of adopting telehealth by patients with advanced cancer in palliative care. The search was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023446460) and focused on articles published between March 2021 and August 2023, after the first wave of COVID-19.

resultsOverall, nine papers were identified and included in the review. Patients with advanced cancer were found to be willing to use telehealth reporting a high satisfaction. Patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care experienced barriers such as software and hardware failures as well as technical issues. Complicating this even further was a language barrier, as well as aging and medical issues. Older patients found the use of telehealth difficult and reported needing additional support around its use, yet telehealth was broadly found to be accepted. Telehealth facilitated a sense of independence, control, comfort and security to patients. Operating in the background while remaining available it promoted a sense of empowerment for patients.

conclusionsIdentification of the barriers and facilitators of telehealth use by patients with advanced cancer in palliative care, contributes to condition specific benchmarks for telehealth use and further informs national treatment guidelines around patients with advanced cancer needs to ensure sustainability and relevance now and in the future.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsPalliative CareTelemedicineCOVID-19Health Services AccessibilityHumansBarriersFacilitatorsPatients with advanced cancerSystematic reviewTelehealth adoption

Identifiers

PMID40012070
PMCPMC11863556

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

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.