Telemedicine PIS-CF-Aug 2021 (1)

Participant Information Sheet Date Information Sheet Produced:

August 2021 Project Title

Telemedicine-based primary health care for older people – health care professionals’ experiences An Invitation

Hello, Kia Ora, Talofa lava, Kia Orana My name is Dr Wendy Wrapson and I am a Senior Research Fellow at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). In conjunction with Dr Margaret Williams, also of AUT, I am exploring health care professionals’ experiences of providing telemedicine-based care for older adults during and post-COVID-19 lockdowns.

If you are a General Practitioner, allied health professional, or are a relevant stakeholder with experience of telemedicine in New Zealand, I would like to invite you to take part in this research. Participation involves taking part in an audio-taped online or telephone interview lasting approximately 20 minutes.

What is the purpose of this research?

The arrival of COVID-19 in Aotearoa New Zealand put doctors’ offices and medical clinics off-limits to all but essential treatment, to prevent transmission of the disease. Adopting telemedicine for medical appointments offers benefits to many people; however, there may be some barriers to the use of telemedicine for the older person.

The aim of the proposed research is to conduct one-off online or telephone interviews, lasting approximately 20 minutes, with general practitioners, allied health professionals, and other relevant stakeholders to investigate their experiences of telemedicine with older adults (aged 65+). Interview questions will be focussed around identifying the benefits of providing telemedicine based care for older adults and any challenges, how these challenges have been managed during and post-COVID-19 ‘lockdowns’, and the potential for telemedicine consultations to become routine healthcare practice with older people/kaumātua. A particular focus of the research is how technology may be developed to reduce any inequities in access to telemedicine by older adults. The study is being funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand. The findings of this research may be used for academic publications and presentations.

How was I identified and why am I being invited to participate in this research?

You have been identified as a potential participant for this research because you have responded to an advertisement about the study or you have responded to a direct invitation to participate in the research.

How do I agree to participate in this research?

If you would like to participate in the research, simply contact me by phone or email (09 921 9999 ext 6136; wwrapson@aut.ac.nz). I will be happy to explain the study in more detail and answer any questions you may have.

Your participation in this research is voluntary (it is your choice). You are able to withdraw from the study at any time. If you choose to withdraw from the study, then you will be offered the choice between having any data that is identifiable as belonging to you removed or allowing it to continue to be used.

However, once the findings have been produced, removal of your data may not be possible.

9 June 2021

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What will happen in this research?

Once you have indicated you would like to take part in this research, I will call you at a mutually agreed time and ask you to give verbal consent to participation prior to commencement of the interview. A copy of the consent protocol is included at the bottom of this information sheet.

I will then ask you to think about situations where you have used telemedicine with your older patients, or have provided advice about the use of telemedicine, and to answer some simple questions. The questions will be quite general in nature and you do not need to provide identifying information about any specific individuals. Analysis of the data will involve transcribing key points from your interview and comparing and contrasting those with data from other participants.

What are the discomforts and risks? How will these discomforts and risks be alleviated?

There is no discomfort or risks associated with this research. If you do not wish to answer a particular question for any reason, then you do not have to.

What are the benefits?

By taking part you will be adding to current knowledge about the utility of using telemedicine with older people. By gathering this information we hope to provide a snapshot of telemedicine use in New Zealand and to identify whether anything could be improved to ensure older people are not excluded from access to the same care as others.

How will my privacy be protected?

Although your name will be known to the researchers, you will not be identified in any transcription material. No published material will contain information that allows you as an individual to be identified.

The data from the interview will be stored for six years but will not be able to be linked back to you in any way.

What are the costs of participating in this research?

The interview will require about 20 minutes of your time.

What opportunity do I have to consider this invitation?

Once you have had time to read, consider and ask questions about this information sheet, you can advise me (details below) whether or not you wish to take part in the interview. Data collection will end in October 2021.

Will I receive feedback on the results of this research?

A summary report will be provided to the Health Research Council of New Zealand and a summary of findings will be provided to all participants.

What do I do if I have concerns about this research?

Any concerns regarding the nature of this project should be notified in the first instance to the Primary Investigator, Dr Wendy Wrapson, wwrapson@aut.ac.nz, 09 921 9999 ext 6136.

Concerns regarding the conduct of the research should be notified to the Executive Secretary of AUTEC, ethics@aut.ac.nz , 09 921 9999 ext 6038.

Whom do I contact for further information about this research?

You are able to contact me as follows: Researcher Contact Details: Dr Wendy Wrapson, Senior Research Fellow, AUT Public Health and Mental Health Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, North Shore Campus, 90 Akoranga Drive, Northcote, Auckland 0627; Tel: 09 921 9999 ext 6136; wwrapson@aut.ac.nz.

Approved by the Auckland University of Technology Ethics Committee on 30 June 2021 AUTEC Reference number 21/220.

Verbal consent of participant (online/telephone interview)

Project title: Telemedicine-based primary health care for older people – health care professionals’ experiences Researcher:

Dr Wendy Wrapson

Participants will be asked to verbally agree with the following statements prior to the interview commencing. The reading out of these statements and the participant’s verbal consent will be recorded on a separate digital file to the audio-recording of the interview.

1.

I have read and understood the information provided about this research project in the Information Sheet dated August 2021.

2.

I have had an opportunity to ask questions and to have them answered.

3.

I understand that the interview will be audio-taped and key points transcribed.

4.

I understand that taking part in this study is voluntary (my choice) and that I may withdraw from the study at any time without being disadvantaged in any way.

5.

I understand that if I withdraw from the study then I will be offered the choice between having any data that is identifiable as belonging to me removed or allowing it to continue to be used. However, once the findings have been produced, removal of my data may not be possible.

6.

I wish to receive a summary of the research findings: Yes

I verbally agree to take part in this research.

No

Yes/ No

Approved by the Auckland University of Technology Ethics Committee on 30 June 2021 AUTEC Reference number 21/220.