A Unified Approach for the Evaluation of Telehealth Implementations in Australia

Abstract

This paper was produced as part of a one year study, funded by the University of Melbourne interdisciplinary seed grant. This paper will firstly provide a conceptual framework that incorporates the key dimensions, criteria and measures that need to be considered in the evaluation of telehealth implementations in Australia. Telehealth evaluation can be considered to be the examination of the effectiveness, appropriateness and cost of a telehealth service, by answering four fundamental questions 1) does the intervention work; 2) for whom; 3) at what cost and 4) how does it compare with the alternatives?1 In helping to address these questions for telehealth evaluation in the Australian context, this framework is linked back to a national, validated health performance framework (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2009). The AIHW framework was also used to form a link between the evaluation criteria and measures described in international literature, to health performance indicators. This resulting conceptual framework will be modified and validated with 3 to 5 case studies involving interviews, focus groups with key stakeholders involved in telehealth implementations. This framework will make it more efficient to undertake evaluation of any Australian telehealth implementation, to produce more widely applicable findings, to share these and to improve practice based on the collective results. This paper will be of interest to decision makers, coordinators of telehealth programs or others who are either involved in or concerned about the evaluation of telehealth implementations in Australia. It is a timely and valuable resource, especially in light of the recent recommendations put forth by the Health Innovation and Reform Council, Department of Health, Victoria.2 This paper also provides an evidence base that illustrates the current state of telehealth evaluation on an international scale