Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://dora.health.qld.gov.au/qldresearchjspui/handle/1/1518
Title: The family costs of attending hospital outpatient appointments via videoconference and in person
Authors: Smith, Anthony C
Youngberry, Karen
Christie, Fiona
Isles, Alan
McCrossin, Robert
Williams, Michael
Van der Westhuyzen, Jasper
Wootton, Richard
Issue Date: 2003
Publisher: Royal Society of Medicine Press/Sage Publications
Source: Smith, A. C., Youngberry, K., Christie, F., Isles, A., McCrossin, R., Williams, M., Van der Westhuyzen, J., & Wootton, R. (2003). The family costs of attending hospital outpatient appointments via videoconference and in person. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 9(Suppl2), 58–61. https://doi.org/10.1258/135763303322596282
Journal: Journal of telemedicine and telecare
Abstract: We compared the costs incurred by families attending outpatient appointments at the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) in Brisbane with those incurred by families who had a consultation via videoconference in their regional area. In each category 200 families were interviewed. The median time spent travelling for videoconferences was 30 min compared with 80 min for face-to-face appointments. Families interviewed in the outpatient department had travelled a median distance of 70 km, while those who had a videoconference at the local hospital had travelled only 20 km. It cost these families much more to attend an appointment at the RCH than to attend a videoconference. Ninety-six per cent of families (193) reported at least one of the following types of expense: 150 families had expenses related to parking (median A 10 dollars), 156 had fuel expenses (median A 10 dollars) and 122 reported costs related to meals purchased at the RCH (median A 10 dollars). Only 21 families who had their appointment via local videoconference reported any additional costs. Specialist appointments via videoconference were a more convenient and cheaper option for families living in regional areas of Queensland than the conventional method of attending outpatient appointments at the specialist hospital in Brisbane.
DOI: 10.1258/135763303322596282
Keywords: *Teleconferencing;Outpatients;*Hospitals;*Health Care Costs;*Family
Type: Article
Appears in Sites:Mackay HHS Publications

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