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Utilizing Telemedicine in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit: Does It Impact Teamwork?
Telemedicine and e-Health (2015)
  • Elizabeth H. Lazzara, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • Lauren E. Benishek, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
  • Brady Patzer, Wichita State University
  • Megan Gregory, University of Central Florida
  • Ashley M. Hughes, University of Central Florida
  • Kyle Heyne, University of Central Florida
  • Eduardo Salas, Rice University
  • Fernanda Kuchkarian, University of Miami
  • Antonio Marttos, University of Miami
  • Carl Schulman, University of Miami
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the impact of a telemedical robot on trauma intensive care unit (TICU) clinician teamwork (i.e., team attitudes, behaviors, and cognitions) during patient rounds.Materials and Methods:Thirty-two healthcare providers who conduct rounds volunteered to take surveys assessing teamwork attitudes and cognitions at three time periods: (1) the onset of the study, (2) the end of the 30-day control period, and (3) the end of the 30-day experimental period, which immediately followed the control period. Rounds were recorded throughout the 30-day control period and 30-day experimental period to observe provider behaviors. For the initial 30 days, there was no access to telemedicine. For the final 30 days, the rounding healthcare providers had access to the RP-7 robot (Intouch Health Inc., Santa Barbara, CA), a telemedical tool that can facilitate patient rounds conducted away from bedside.Results:Using a one-tailed, one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare trust at Times 1, 2, and 3, there was no significant effect on trust: F(2, 14)=1.20, p=0.16. When a one-tailed, one-way repeated-measures ANOVA to compare transactive memory systems (TMS) at Times 1, 2, and 3 was conducted, there was no significant effect on TMS: F(2, 15)=1.33, p=0.15. We conducted a one-tailed, one-way repeated-measures ANOVA to compare team psychological safety at Times 1, 2, and 3, and there was no significant effect on team psychological safety: F(2,15)=1.53, p=0.12. There was a significant difference in communication between rounds with and without telemedicine [t(25)=−1.76, p<0.05], such that there was more task-based communication during telerounds. Telemedicine increased task-based communication and did not negatively impact team trust, psychological safety, or TMS during rounds. Conclusions: Telemedicine may offer advantages for some teamwork competencies without sacrificing the efficacy of others and may be adopted by intact rounding teams without hindering teamwork.
Keywords
  • emergency medicine/teletrauma,
  • telemedicine,
  • telehealth,
  • telecommunicaitons,
  • teamwork in the workplace
Publication Date
August, 2015
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2014.0074
Citation Information
Elizabeth H. Lazzara, Lauren E. Benishek, Brady Patzer, Megan Gregory, et al.. "Utilizing Telemedicine in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit: Does It Impact Teamwork?" Telemedicine and e-Health Vol. 21 Iss. 8 (2015) p. 670 - 676 ISSN: 1530-5627
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/elizabeth_lazzara/70/