Usefulness of a Digitally Assisted Person-Centered Care Intervention: Qualitative Study of Patients' and Nurses' Experiences in a Long-term Perspective.
Mette Linnet Olesen, Sine Rossen, Rikke Jørgensen and 2 others
PMID 37200076WHAT IT FOUND
Patients with cancer or endometriosis generally accepted digitally assisted person-centered counseling, while nurses initially feared patients could not manage it or video would harm relationships.
Their concerns faded as the technology improved.
Key findings
01Nurses initially worried that patients might struggle to use the digital reflection sheets and video conversations, but patients generally accepted the intervention and were positive about it.
02Nurses feared that digital sheets and video conversations could harm the nurse-patient relationship, but patients did not report that the relationship deteriorated.
03Nurses became more comfortable with the digital intervention over time, and by the end they prioritized digital reflection sheets and valued video conversations for patients they could not otherwise reach.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was qualitative, so it reports experiences and implementation barriers rather than measured patient outcomes. Only 17 women were included. Interviews were conducted with 8 patients; patients who declined were not recorded. Nurses were recruited by the first author and patients were included by participating nurses, so selection may reflect staff judgment. Oncology patients evaluated an earlier version of DA-GSD, while endometriosis patients used a more mature version, so their experiences are not directly comparable. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated video consultations and added equipment, which may have changed acceptance independently of DA-GSD. Only women participated, so the findings do not directly apply to men. The study was done in Danish hospital departments using a national health portal, and ethics approval was not legally required, which may limit transferability.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. No funding source is reported in the article text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this digital person-centered care improves health outcomes or should replace face-to-face care. The study reports experiences from 10 nurses and 17 women in a qualitative implementation process, not measured effectiveness.