Overview
Problem
Only 40% of patients utilized telehealth services offered by BC Cancer before the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating telehealth was not preferrable and was difficult to use.
Outcome
- A 30% increase in participation in telehealth services.
- A 50% increase in patient satisfaction, particularly in rural areas, leading to reduction of the rural-urban disparities in cancer care using telehealth.
Client
BC Cancer
A comprehensive cancer control organization that focuses on integrating research, care, and education to address the complex needs of cancer patients and improve their overall experience.
Project Description
Only 40% of patients utilized telehealth services offered by BC Cancer before the COVID-19, indicating it was not preferrable and was difficult to use.
The rapid transition to telehealth during COVID-19 provided an opportunity to further assess cancer patients experience with telehealth and identified factors affecting their experience and preference.
INFO
Team
Me, Lisa McQuarrie, Stuart Peacock, Ross Halperin, Leah Lambert, Craig Mitton and Helen McTaggart-Cowan
Role
Lead UX Researcher
Timeline
12 months
Study Method
Survey (online and paper-based)
Research
Why did we do this?
1
To Optimize Future Telehealth Practices
Identifying factors influencing their experiences with telehealth could lead BC Cancer to optimize telehealth services to meet the unique needs of cancer patients to increase their participation in telehealth.
2
To Enhance Patient Satisfaction
If challenges faced by cancer patients using telehealth, such as building rapport with their healthcare professionals are addressed, BC Cancer can enhance overall patient satisfaction, leading to improved outcomes and increased trust in telehealth services.
3
To Mitigate Disruptions in Cancer Care
The rapid transition to telehealth during the pandemic disrupted cancer patients' access to essential treatments and services. If telehealth services are optimized to reduce this disruption, patients are more likely to use them in the future.
Research
How did we do it? Survey
Due to the extensive scope of the project and the diverse patient population using telehealth services at BC Cancer, we focused on survey that would be simpler to analyze. We included open-ended questions for those who wish to share more detailed experiences.
The survey was accessible online or in paper format, offered in four commonly spoken languages (English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Panjabi) in BC to ensure inclusivity and accessibility.
With access to pre-pandemic survey data on cancer patients’ telehealth experiences, our goal was to assess the experiences of over 5000 patients during the COVID-19 pandemic and compare it to their experience before the pandemic. Subsequently, I delved into the data to identify factors influencing their experiences and preferences.
Key Findings
What did we find?
After a comprehensive statistical analysis, we narrowed it down to three key topics:
- Utilization of Telehealth Services
- During the pandemic, more patients (71%) used virtual health visits compared to before the pandemic (40%).
- Overall Satisfaction and Recommendation
- During the pandemic, many patients who used telehealth at BC Cancer had good experiences. Most found it easy to use (80%) and helpful (79%), and they would recommend it to others (87%).
- Compared to before the pandemic, there was a 50% increase in patient satisfaction, especially in rural areas. This helped reduce the gap between rural and urban areas in cancer care through telehealth.
- Factors Influencing Patient Experience and Future Telehealth Preferences
- Patients in rural areas as well as those who found BC Cancer’s telehealth services easy to use were more likely to have a positive experience and express a preference for using these services in the future.
- Patients were worried about missing the personal interaction with their healthcare provider, and questioned the quality of care they would receive.
These results suggested a mindset shift during the COVID-19 pandemic; telehealth became a more desirable option for cancer patients, especially those living in rural areas. They just need to be able to trust the telehealth as a high quality care, that also allows personal connections with their healthcare provider.
Opportunity
What is the real question now?
Based on these results, how can we enhance telehealth services at BC Cancer to ensure healthcare accessibility, patient satisfaction, and effective patient-physician interaction?
Persona
What did we learn about our users?
To improve telehealth services in BC, we needed to understand who’s actually using them. Our findings point to someone like a breast cancer survivor living in rural BC. She wants telehealth to be easy, accessible, and provide a great opportunity to connect with healthcare providers.
Recommendations
How can we solve our users’ problems?
Solution 1-Improve Accessibility:
Develop user-friendly telehealth platforms that are accessible to patients with varying levels of technological proficiency.
- Design a user-friendly interface with step-by-step guidance for users like Emily.
- Incorporate large, readable buttons, straightforward navigation, and prominent calls-to-action to improve usability.
- Offer clear instructions and assistance for users with language barriers or limited digital skills.
Solution 2-Ensure high quality care:
Integrate telehealth services seamlessly into existing healthcare systems to ensure continuity of care and a smooth transition between in-person and virtual appointments.
- Integrate the telehealth platform seamlessly with BC Cancer's electronic health record (EHR) system to ensure continuity of care and access to comprehensive patient information.
- Enable automatic syncing of patient data between the telehealth platform and EHR to minimize data entry errors and streamline administrative workflows for healthcare providers.
Solution 3-Enhance Communication:
Implement features that facilitate effective communication between patients and healthcare providers, such as secure messaging systems or video conferencing tools.
- Integrate a secure messaging system within the telehealth platform to facilitate communication between patients and their healthcare providers.
- Enable patients to send messages, ask questions, and request prescription refills directly from the platform, promoting ongoing engagement and proactive healthcare management.
- Enhance telehealth appointments with multimedia support, such as high-definition video and audio capabilities, to facilitate clear and effective communication between patients and healthcare providers.
Retrospective
Final thoughts and takeaways
It was enlightening to delve into the intricacies of telehealth usage and preferences among this population, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through this project, I gained valuable insights into the importance of accessibility, ease of use, and personalized care in telehealth services for cancer patients.
Moving forward, I am keen to see BC Cancer and other healthcare organizations implement and iterate upon the recommendations derived from this research.
