Understanding the general practice of telemonitoring integrated care : a qualitative perspective

Developed in partnership with GPs, a new telehealth model of care using remote monitoring, known as telemonitoring (TM), was introduced in South Western Sydney (SWS) in 2015, transmitting clinical readings taken at home to telehealth coordinators. This study explored the experiences, beliefs and attitudes of general practice staff to identify barriers to and facilitators of the SWS TM model. Responses were collected from a purposive sample of 10 participants via semistructured interviews (n = 9 interview sessions) and the resulting transcripts were analysed thematically. Four themes were identified: Lack of understanding and involvement; patient-centred care and empowerment; clinical practice and process factors; and system-wide communication and collaboration. Participants recognised some actual and potential benefits of TM, but barriers to TM were identified across all themes. Feedback provided by participants has informed the ongoing formulation of a more 'GP-led' model of TM.