Understanding the use of digital technologies to provide disability services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic; a multiple case study design
Abstract Background Using digital technologies to provide services and supports remotely may improve efficiency and accessibility of healthcare, and support people with disabilities to live independently. This study aimed to explore the experience of using digital technologies to access and provide...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10652-6 |
| _version_ | 1827316137437691904 |
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| author | Jennifer Fortune Manjula Manikandan Sarah Harrington Owen Hensey Claire Kerr Sebastian Koppe Thilo Kroll Grace Lavelle Siobhán Long Malcolm MacLachlan Denis Nolan Meriel Norris Jason O’Reilly Mary Owens Aisling Walsh Michael Walsh Jennifer M. Ryan |
| author_facet | Jennifer Fortune Manjula Manikandan Sarah Harrington Owen Hensey Claire Kerr Sebastian Koppe Thilo Kroll Grace Lavelle Siobhán Long Malcolm MacLachlan Denis Nolan Meriel Norris Jason O’Reilly Mary Owens Aisling Walsh Michael Walsh Jennifer M. Ryan |
| author_sort | Jennifer Fortune |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Using digital technologies to provide services and supports remotely may improve efficiency and accessibility of healthcare, and support people with disabilities to live independently. This study aimed to explore the experience of using digital technologies to access and provide disability services and supports during the Covid-19 pandemic, from the perspective of people with disabilities, families and service providers. Methods Using a multiple case study design, we purposively sampled three cases based on service user characteristics and geographical reach of the service. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 service users and service providers. Topic guides and analysis were informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Analysis followed a largely deductive approach, using the CFIR constructs as a coding framework. A summary memo was developed for each case. Influence and strength of each construct was rated to identify constructs that influenced implementation of digital technologies. Ratings were compared across services to identify facilitators and barriers to implementation. Results Service users and providers were positive about using digital technologies to access and provide disability services and supports remotely. Advantages over in-person delivery included reduced travel time, increased opportunity for peer support and peer learning, more choice and opportunity to participate in activities, and an enhanced sense of self while accessing services from the secure environment of their home. The urgency to identify new modes of service delivery to meet the needs of service users during Covid-19 was a strong facilitator but did not necessarily result in successful implementation. Other factors that were strong facilitators were the use of adaptations to enable service users to access the online service, service users’ willingness to try the online service, service users’ persistence when they encountered challenges, and the significant time and effort that service providers made to support service users to participate in the online service. Barriers to implementation included the complexity of accessing online platforms, poor design quality of online platforms, and organisations prioritising in-person delivery over online services. Conclusions These findings may allow service providers to leverage facilitators that support implementation of online disability services and supports. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T23:09:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b92e677fad6d463aa9c941e47a15dac8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T23:09:38Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-b92e677fad6d463aa9c941e47a15dac82024-03-17T12:19:44ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632024-03-0124111710.1186/s12913-024-10652-6Understanding the use of digital technologies to provide disability services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic; a multiple case study designJennifer Fortune0Manjula Manikandan1Sarah Harrington2Owen Hensey3Claire Kerr4Sebastian Koppe5Thilo Kroll6Grace Lavelle7Siobhán Long8Malcolm MacLachlan9Denis Nolan10Meriel Norris11Jason O’Reilly12Mary Owens13Aisling Walsh14Michael Walsh15Jennifer M. Ryan16School of Population Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health SciencesSchool of Population Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health SciencesPublic and Patient Involvement (PPI) PartnerCentral Remedial ClinicSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University BelfastEnable IrelandSchool of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, UCD IRIS, University College DublinInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College LondonEnable IrelandNational Clinical Programme for People with Disability, Health Service ExecutiveNCBICollege of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University LondonEnable IrelandCentral Remedial ClinicSchool of Population Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health SciencesNational Clinical Programme for People with Disability, Health Service ExecutiveSchool of Population Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health SciencesAbstract Background Using digital technologies to provide services and supports remotely may improve efficiency and accessibility of healthcare, and support people with disabilities to live independently. This study aimed to explore the experience of using digital technologies to access and provide disability services and supports during the Covid-19 pandemic, from the perspective of people with disabilities, families and service providers. Methods Using a multiple case study design, we purposively sampled three cases based on service user characteristics and geographical reach of the service. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 service users and service providers. Topic guides and analysis were informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Analysis followed a largely deductive approach, using the CFIR constructs as a coding framework. A summary memo was developed for each case. Influence and strength of each construct was rated to identify constructs that influenced implementation of digital technologies. Ratings were compared across services to identify facilitators and barriers to implementation. Results Service users and providers were positive about using digital technologies to access and provide disability services and supports remotely. Advantages over in-person delivery included reduced travel time, increased opportunity for peer support and peer learning, more choice and opportunity to participate in activities, and an enhanced sense of self while accessing services from the secure environment of their home. The urgency to identify new modes of service delivery to meet the needs of service users during Covid-19 was a strong facilitator but did not necessarily result in successful implementation. Other factors that were strong facilitators were the use of adaptations to enable service users to access the online service, service users’ willingness to try the online service, service users’ persistence when they encountered challenges, and the significant time and effort that service providers made to support service users to participate in the online service. Barriers to implementation included the complexity of accessing online platforms, poor design quality of online platforms, and organisations prioritising in-person delivery over online services. Conclusions These findings may allow service providers to leverage facilitators that support implementation of online disability services and supports.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10652-6ImplementationQualitative methodsDisabilityTechnologyTelehealth |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer Fortune Manjula Manikandan Sarah Harrington Owen Hensey Claire Kerr Sebastian Koppe Thilo Kroll Grace Lavelle Siobhán Long Malcolm MacLachlan Denis Nolan Meriel Norris Jason O’Reilly Mary Owens Aisling Walsh Michael Walsh Jennifer M. Ryan Understanding the use of digital technologies to provide disability services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic; a multiple case study design BMC Health Services Research Implementation Qualitative methods Disability Technology Telehealth |
| title | Understanding the use of digital technologies to provide disability services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic; a multiple case study design |
| title_full | Understanding the use of digital technologies to provide disability services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic; a multiple case study design |
| title_fullStr | Understanding the use of digital technologies to provide disability services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic; a multiple case study design |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding the use of digital technologies to provide disability services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic; a multiple case study design |
| title_short | Understanding the use of digital technologies to provide disability services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic; a multiple case study design |
| title_sort | understanding the use of digital technologies to provide disability services remotely during the covid 19 pandemic a multiple case study design |
| topic | Implementation Qualitative methods Disability Technology Telehealth |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10652-6 |
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