Patient and families’ perspectives on telepalliative care: A systematic integrative review

Abstract

Background: Telepalliative care is increasingly used in palliative care, but has yet to be examined from a patient and family perspective. A synthesis of evidence may provide knowledge on how to plan and provide telepalliative care that caters specifically to patients and families’ needs. Objective: To synthesise evidence on patients and families’ perspectives on telepalliative care. Design: A systematic integrative review (PROSPERO #CRD42022301206) reported in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Inclusion criteria; primary peer-reviewed studies published 2011–2022, patient and family perspective, >18 years, telepalliative care and English/Danish language. Quality was appraised using the mixed-methods appraisal tool, version 2020. Guided by Toronto and Remington, data were extracted, thematically analysed and synthesised. Data sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL were searched in March 2022 and updated in February 2023. Results: Forty-four studies were included. Analysis revealed five themes; the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on telepalliative care, adding value for patients and families, synchronous and asynchronous telepalliative care, the integration of telepalliative care with other services and the tailoring and timing of telepalliative care. Conclusion: Enhanced access to care and convenience, as attributes of telepalliative care, are highly valued. Patients and families have varying needs during the illness trajectory that may be addressed by early integration of telepalliative care based on models of care that are flexible and combine synchronous and asynchronous solutions. Further research should examine telepalliative care in a post-pandemic context, use of models of care and identify meaningful outcome measures from patient and family perspectives for evaluation of telepalliative care.

“Let’s put it this way: you can’t really live without it” - digital technologies in routine palliative care delivery: an explorative qualitative study with patients and their family caregivers in Germany

“…This includes participants’ prior behaviour and familiarity with existing technologies, their perceptions of the value of DT, and preferences for maintenance of face-to-face contact with professionals alongside any DT approach. Moreover, understanding patient and family perspectives on telepalliative care is crucial for its effective implementation, as evidenced by a systematic integrative review [ 30 ]. Incorporating patient experiences in the use of telehealth technologies is crucial to ensure that DTs in palliative care remain genuinely patient-centered.…”