IndexQualitative Research InterviewsThe Purpose of Research InterviewsThe InterviewFocus GroupWhen Focus Groups Are UsedModeratingChiron HealthPros of TelemedicineCons of TelemedicineThe healthcare industry has substantially developed over the years due to the convenience brought by current advancements technological. However, there are still many challenges the industry faces, especially when it comes to accessibility, delivery and convenience of services for both patients and healthcare professionals. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay One of the answers that the medical profession and the healthcare industry have provided to address these problems is telemedicine. What is telemedicine? It is the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients using telecommunications technology. In addition to bringing patients and healthcare providers together through various modes of communication, telemedicine also provides healthcare providers with a way to consult with other doctors. Previously, telemedicine was commonly used to provide a connection between doctors working with a patient in one location and specialists elsewhere. . This has been of great benefit to rural or hard-to-reach places where specialists are not easily and readily accessible. Over the next few decades, the equipment needed to conduct remote visits remained expensive and complex, so the use of this approach, although growing, was limited. The increased use of the Internet brought with it significant changes in telemedicine practices. The growing use of smart devices in the global market, capable of high-quality video. Additionally, the growth of telemedicine today corresponds to the growing mobile (smartphone) healthcare industry. With various mobile health applications, new easy-to-use mobile medical devices and patients are starting to use the technology to observe and monitor their health. Basic home medical devices that can detect signs and symptoms and diagnose ear infections, monitor glucose levels or measure blood pressure, allow patients to collect the necessary medical information so that the doctor can use it to perform the diagnosis, without booking a doctor's appointment. And yet, as more patients sign up to use technology to manage their health, they will also be more open to alternative ways to get attention, through telemedicine. Having explored the nature and purpose of qualitative research, this article explores the data collection techniques used in qualitative research. There are different methods of data collection in qualitative research, for example observations, textual or visual analysis (e.g. from books or videos) and interviews (individual or group). However, the most common methods used, particularly in health research, are interviews and focus groups. Qualitative Research Interviews There are three types of research interviews: structured, semi-structured and unstructured. Structured interviews are verbally administered questionnaires, in which a list of pre-determined questions is asked, with little variation and without space for follow-up questions requiring further clarity. In contrast, unstructured interviews do not reflect any pre-existing theory or ideas and are performed with little to no format. Such an interview may simply begin with an opening question and then progress based, primarily, on the initial response. Semi-structured interviews consist of several key questions that helpto outline areas to discover, but also allow the interviewer or interviewee to diverge to follow an idea or response in more detail. This interview format is used most frequently in the healthcare industry, as it gives participants some guidance on what to talk about, which many find helpful. The Purpose of Research Interviews The purpose of the research interview is to explore the opinions of various individuals on specific issues. Qualitative methods, such as interviews, are believed to enlighten us about social phenomena that would be obtained from purely quantitative methods, such as questionnaires. Interviews are, therefore, more appropriate where little is already known about the phenomenon being studied or where detailed insights are required from individual participants. They are also particularly suited to exploring sensitive topics, where participants may not want to talk about such issues in a group setting. The Interview When designing an interview program, it is important to ask questions that can provide as much information about the phenomenon being studied. possible and also be able to address the aims and objectives of the research. In a qualitative interview, questions should be open-ended (i.e., require more than a yes/no answer), neutral, sensitive, and understandable. It's usually best to start with questions that participants can answer easily and then move on to more advanced topics. This can help put interviewees at ease, build trust and rapport, and often generates rich data that subsequently develops the interview further. The length of the interviews varies depending on the topic, the researcher and the participant. However, on average, healthcare interviews last 20-60 minutes. Interviews can be conducted one-off or, if change over time is of interest, repeated, for example exploring the psychosocial impact of oral trauma on participants and their subsequent experiences of cosmetic dental surgery. Focus groups Focus groups share many common characteristics with less structured interviews, but there is more to them than simply collecting similar data from many participants at the same time. A focus group is a group discussion on a particular topic organized for research purposes. This discussion is led, monitored, and recorded by a researcher (sometimes called a moderator or facilitator). When focus groups are used Focus groups are used to generate information about collective opinions and the meanings behind those opinions. They are also useful for generating a rich understanding of participants' experiences and beliefs. Suggested criteria for using focus groups include: • As a standalone method, for research related to group norms, meanings, and processes • In a multi-method design, to explore a topic or collect language or narratives of the group to be used in subsequent stages • To clarify, extend, qualify or challenge data collected through other methods • To provide feedback to research participants.ModerateModerating a focus group seems easy if done well, but requires a complex set of skills. The moderator should facilitate the group discussion, keeping it focused without leading it. They should also be able to prevent the discussion from being dominated by one member, ensure that all participants have ample opportunity to contribute, allow differences of opinion to be discussed fairly and, if necessary, encourage reticent participants. Interviews and focus groups remain the most common data collection methods in qualitative research and are now used with increasing frequency in dental research, particularly foraccess areas not amenable to quantitative methods and/or where depth, intuition and understanding of particular phenomena are required. Chiron Health Is a website that promotes telemedicine to patients has never been easier Promote video visits to your patients with personalized campaigns. Customized web pages and automated email notifications let you announce your new service and keep patients informed about telemedicine in your practice. It has the following key products: HIPAA Compliant: Secure video via peer-to-peer connection and a signed BAA for each customer; Co-Pay Collection: Accurate payment determination is processed through our insurance rules engine and deposited into your account; Patient Notifications: Once an appointment is scheduled, patients automatically receive an email to create an account and attend the appointment; Clinical Protocols: Custom telemedicine formula specific to your practice – Find out exactly when and how to use telemedicine; Personalized patient marketing: Easily market telemedicine to patients with personalized in-office and online materials; Optimized patient workflow: Automated appointment reminder emails and an experience that mimics in-office workflow with a virtual waiting room. How does telemedicine impact patients and providers? As a rapidly growing sector in the healthcare industry, telemedicine shows great promise in solving various challenges that healthcare providers and patients are facing today. Providing a host of benefits for both patients and healthcare providers, it offers:Pros of TelemedicineAdopting the latest telemedicine initiatives can help your practice gain numerous benefits.1. More convenient and accessible patient care According to a recent Cisco global survey, 74% of patients prefer easy access to healthcare services over in-person interactions with providers.2. Healthcare Cost Savings Remote monitoring and testing services and electronic data storage significantly reduce healthcare costs, saving you, your patients and insurance companies money.3. Expanded Access to Specialists and Referring Doctors With telemedicine, patients in rural or remote areas benefit from faster and more convenient access to specialists. These patients travel for longer appointments and have difficulty accessing life-saving consultations for specific diseases or chronic care plans.4. Increased patient engagement When patients engage in improving their healthcare goals, the goal is to reduce costs and improve healthcare delivery.5. Improved quality of patient care Telemedicine offers ways to improve patient-centered approaches. This is critical to the quality of patient care. Patients can quickly address health concerns with real-time health consultations and quickly learn about treatment alternatives. A new study shows that telemedicine patients score lower on depression, anxiety and stress and have 38% fewer hospital admissions. Cons of Telemedicine While telemedicine shows no limits to its growth in the next few decades or so and has clear advantages, it still poses some technical and practical difficulties in the healthcare industry.1. Technical training and equipment. Restructuring IT staff responsibilities and purchasing equipment comes with high costs. Training is key to building an effective telemedicine system. Doctors, specialists and other medical staff need training on new systems to ensure a solid ROI. Beyond.