Reflexive thematic analysis exploring stakeholder experiences of virtual pulmonary rehabilitation (VIPAR)

Abstract

IntroductionTo enable greater availability of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), video-conferencing technology was employed to link a community site to a standard outpatient PR service to deliver the programme closer to those with chronic respiratory disease. The service was called virtual pulmonary rehabilitation (VIPAR). To understand the experiences of those involved in this service, this study aimed to answer the question: How do the different stakeholders that interact with VIPAR experience the programme?MethodsFocus groups were conducted with people with chronic lung disease attending either the community or outpatient PR site, in addition to the staff involved in the running of the PR groups. A total of five focus groups were conducted. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the transcripts.ResultsParticipants who received VIPAR were positive regarding the programme and described the benefits of the service. Additionally, participants discussed the trade-off between convenience and relatedness. Staff described barriers to the service and solutions that could be employed to mitigate these, including greater training, organisation and understanding of risk.DiscussionUsing technology to increase the availability of PR is acceptable to the stakeholders involved, providing problems and organisational issues are resolved with training.

Role of digital health in pulmonary rehabilitation and beyond: shaping the future

“…Perceived usefulness refers to the degree to which a person believes the digital health intervention could improve or enhance their ability to manage their condition and is a core determinant of sustained engagement [72]. For example, patients may feel that a digital approach will impinge on the benefits of face-to-face contacts, as they may no longer have physical access to HCPs for support and direction [71,73]. Interestingly, research has found that patients with COPD perceive several potential benefits arising from digital approaches to support self-management which suggests there are cohorts of patients already primed to adopt them [74].…”

“…Training and resource barriers are also commonly cited by HCPs [73,76]. Research evaluating HCP's perspectives regarding a virtual PR programme found that more preparation and training time is needed to empower them to identify and address technical issues when they arise [73].…”

“…Training and resource barriers are also commonly cited by HCPs [73,76]. Research evaluating HCP's perspectives regarding a virtual PR programme found that more preparation and training time is needed to empower them to identify and address technical issues when they arise [73]. For example, internet connection issues, such as audio-lag, were common and caused problems for patients receiving information in real-time, but HCPs felt this could have been avoided with training [73].…”

“…Research evaluating HCP's perspectives regarding a virtual PR programme found that more preparation and training time is needed to empower them to identify and address technical issues when they arise [73]. For example, internet connection issues, such as audio-lag, were common and caused problems for patients receiving information in real-time, but HCPs felt this could have been avoided with training [73]. Added staffing resources during the early stages of the programme were also emphasised as HCPs felt they required an extra person to help with the administration and technical aspects as they increased their competencies in managing a virtual PR session [73].…”