The Utility of an Online Forward Triage Tool During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Health Care Provider and Health Authority Perspectives

IntroductionThe SARS CoV-2 pandemic poses major challenges not only to patients but also to health care professionals and policy-makers, with rapidly changing, sometimes complex, recommendations, and guidelines to the population. Online forward triage tools (OFTT) got a major boost from the pandemic...

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Main Authors: Janet Michel, Tim S. Kilb, Annette Mettler, Martin Müller, Wolf E. Hautz, Stefanie C. Hautz, Thomas C. Sauter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.845996/full
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author Janet Michel
Tim S. Kilb
Annette Mettler
Martin Müller
Wolf E. Hautz
Stefanie C. Hautz
Thomas C. Sauter
author_facet Janet Michel
Tim S. Kilb
Annette Mettler
Martin Müller
Wolf E. Hautz
Stefanie C. Hautz
Thomas C. Sauter
author_sort Janet Michel
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionThe SARS CoV-2 pandemic poses major challenges not only to patients but also to health care professionals and policy-makers, with rapidly changing, sometimes complex, recommendations, and guidelines to the population. Online forward triage tools (OFTT) got a major boost from the pandemic as they helped with the implementation and monitoring of recommendations.MethodsA multiphase mixed method sequential explanatory study design was employed. Quantitative data were collected first and informed the qualitative interview guides. Video interviews were held with key informants (health care providers and health authorities) between 2 September and 10 December 2020. Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim, coded thematically and compared with patient perspectives (framework).ObjectivesTo explore the perspectives of health care providers and authorities in Canton Bern on the utility of a COVID-19 OFTT, as well as elicit recommendations for telehealth in future.ResultsThe following themes emerged; (i) accessibility (ii) health system burden reduction (iii) utility in preventing onward transmission (iv) utility in allaying fear and anxiety (v) medical decision-making utility (vi) utility as information source (vii) utility in planning and systems thinking. The health care providers and health authorities further provided insights on potential barriers and facilitators of telehealth in future.ConclusionSimilar to patients, health care providers acknowledge the potential and utility of the COVID-19 OFTT particularly as an information source and in reducing the health system burden. Data privacy, doctor-patient relationship, resistance to change, regulatory, and mandate issues, and lack of systems thinking were revealed as barriers to COVID-19 OFTT utility.
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spelling doaj.art-031a9b520a9f4db3bab52fd71e9783192022-12-22T03:02:35ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652022-07-011010.3389/fpubh.2022.845996845996The Utility of an Online Forward Triage Tool During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Health Care Provider and Health Authority PerspectivesJanet MichelTim S. KilbAnnette MettlerMartin MüllerWolf E. HautzStefanie C. HautzThomas C. SauterIntroductionThe SARS CoV-2 pandemic poses major challenges not only to patients but also to health care professionals and policy-makers, with rapidly changing, sometimes complex, recommendations, and guidelines to the population. Online forward triage tools (OFTT) got a major boost from the pandemic as they helped with the implementation and monitoring of recommendations.MethodsA multiphase mixed method sequential explanatory study design was employed. Quantitative data were collected first and informed the qualitative interview guides. Video interviews were held with key informants (health care providers and health authorities) between 2 September and 10 December 2020. Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim, coded thematically and compared with patient perspectives (framework).ObjectivesTo explore the perspectives of health care providers and authorities in Canton Bern on the utility of a COVID-19 OFTT, as well as elicit recommendations for telehealth in future.ResultsThe following themes emerged; (i) accessibility (ii) health system burden reduction (iii) utility in preventing onward transmission (iv) utility in allaying fear and anxiety (v) medical decision-making utility (vi) utility as information source (vii) utility in planning and systems thinking. The health care providers and health authorities further provided insights on potential barriers and facilitators of telehealth in future.ConclusionSimilar to patients, health care providers acknowledge the potential and utility of the COVID-19 OFTT particularly as an information source and in reducing the health system burden. Data privacy, doctor-patient relationship, resistance to change, regulatory, and mandate issues, and lack of systems thinking were revealed as barriers to COVID-19 OFTT utility.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.845996/fullOFTT utilityhealth care providershealth authoritiesperspectivesCOVID-19pandemic
spellingShingle Janet Michel
Tim S. Kilb
Annette Mettler
Martin Müller
Wolf E. Hautz
Stefanie C. Hautz
Thomas C. Sauter
The Utility of an Online Forward Triage Tool During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Health Care Provider and Health Authority Perspectives
Frontiers in Public Health
OFTT utility
health care providers
health authorities
perspectives
COVID-19
pandemic
title The Utility of an Online Forward Triage Tool During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Health Care Provider and Health Authority Perspectives
title_full The Utility of an Online Forward Triage Tool During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Health Care Provider and Health Authority Perspectives
title_fullStr The Utility of an Online Forward Triage Tool During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Health Care Provider and Health Authority Perspectives
title_full_unstemmed The Utility of an Online Forward Triage Tool During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Health Care Provider and Health Authority Perspectives
title_short The Utility of an Online Forward Triage Tool During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Health Care Provider and Health Authority Perspectives
title_sort utility of an online forward triage tool during the sars cov 2 pandemic health care provider and health authority perspectives
topic OFTT utility
health care providers
health authorities
perspectives
COVID-19
pandemic
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.845996/full
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