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Parent Perceptions of the Value of Pediatric Neurology Clinic Visits

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2014

J.M. Dooley ,
K.E. Gordon  and
E.P. Wood
J.M. Dooley
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
K.E. Gordon
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
E.P. Wood
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Abstract

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Background:

There is little data available on the acceptability to parents, of alternate methods of delivering care to their children. This pilot study explored parents'perceptions of conventional clinic visits and their attitudes to potential alternative methods of delivering care.

Methods:

Questionnaires were completed by the families of 200 consecutive children before and after a visit to a tertiary-care Pediatric Neurology Clinic in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Results:

Responses were received from 172 (86%) for the first questionnaire and 138 (69%) for the second. There were 59 new referrals, 76 follow-up visits and 39 were seen because of new concerns. Visiting the clinic resulted in school absenteeism for 85% of the children and lost pay for 19% of the parents. Telephone, video conference or replacement of the physician by a nurse practitioner were acceptable alternate methods of assessment for only 10%. The only factor which was associated with willingness to accept telephone as an assessment modality was an initial opinion that the visit was unnecessary.

Conclusion:

Escalating health care costs and limited specialist availability demand consideration of alternate methods of care delivery. Although adults seem comfortable with care outside the usual clinic setting, there is little data for the pediatric setting. The responses from the parents attending our clinic, indicate that families were happy with services offered in the conventional clinic. In contrast, only 10% found potential alternate methods acceptable. These opinions must be considered in the design of new methods of caring for children.

Résumé:

RÉSUMÉ:

La perception des parents au sujet de l'utilité des visites à la clinique de neurologie pédiatrique.

Introduction:

Il y a peu de données disponibles sur l'acceptabilité par les parents de méthodes alternatives de fournir des soins à leurs enfants. Cette étude pilote explore les perceptions des parents au sujet des visites cliniques conventionnelles et leurs attitudes au sujet de méthodes alternatives potentielles de fournir des soins.

Méthodes:

Des questionnaires ont été complétés par les familles de 200 enfants consécutifs avant et après une visite à une clinique de neurologie pédiatrique de troisième ligne en Nouvelle-Écosse, au Canada.

Résultats:

On a reçu 172 (86%) réponses au premier questionnaire et 138 (69%) au deuxième. Il s'agis-sait d'une première consultation pour 59 patients, d'une visite de suivi pour 76 patients et d'une visite motivée par l'apparition de nouveaux symptômes pour 37 patients. La visite à la clinique impliquait une absence scolaire pour 85% des enfants et une perte salariale pour 19% des parents. Un appel télé-phonique, une vidéo conférence ou une consultation avec une infirmière clinique étaient des méthodes d'évaluation alternatives acceptables chez seule-ment 10% des cas. Le seul facteur qui était associé à l'acceptation du téléphone comme mode d'évaluation était une opinion initiale que la visite n'é-tait pas nécessaire.

Conclusions:

On doit considérer des méthodes alternatives de fournir des soins de santé vu l'accroissement des coûe santé et la disponibilité limitée de spécialistes. Bien que les adultes semblent confortables avec les soins prodigués hors des cadres cliniques habituels, il existe peu de données sur la situation en pédiatrie. Les réponses des parents qui fréquentent notre clinique indique que les familles étaient satisfaites des serv-ices offerts par une clinique conventionnelle. Par contre, seulement 10% considéraient que d'autres méthodes étaient acceptables. Ces opinions doivent être considérées dans la planification de nouvelles méthodes de soins destinés aux enfants.

Type
Original Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , November 2001 , pp. 319 - 321
Copyright
Copyright © The Canadian Journal of Neurological 2001

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