Designing Telemedicine for Older Adults With Multimorbidity: Content Analysis Study (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Telemedicine is a potential platform for caring for older adults with multimorbidity. There is a need to explore the perceptions of telemedicine among older adults with multimorbidity to tailor it to the needs of older adults with multiple chronic conditions. OBJECTIVE To explore the perceptions of telemedicine among older patients with multimorbidity. METHODS A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews. The interview questions examined older adults’ perspectives of telemedicine, including their expectations of telemedicine services and the factors that affect its usage. Thematic analysis was used for analysis by NVivo version 12. The study was reported using the SRQR guidelines. RESULTS Twenty-nine patients with multimorbidity, 21 female and 8 male patients with a mean age of 69 ± 10.39 were included. Four themes and seven subthemes emerged. Theme 1: Perceived benefit of telemedicine among older adults with multimorbidities; Theme 2: Appropriate use of telemedicine for multimorbid care; Theme 3: Telemedicine system catering to the needs of older patients; Theme 4: Respect patients’ refusal from using telemedicine. CONCLUSIONS Telemedicine for older adults with multimorbidity should focus on those with stable conditions. This can help increase access to care for those requiring continuous condition monitoring. A structured telemedicine program and patient-centered services can help increase patient acceptance of telemedicine. However, healthcare providers must accept the limitations of elderly patients that may prevent them from receiving telemedicine services.