Project Lead
Dr Annie Chiu
Lead partner
Mercy Health
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has become an integral part of healthcare, including palliative care. In community palliative care settings, it offers particular value where timely interventions are required. However, despite its increasing use, telemedicine is often applied in an ad-hoc manner, with limited evidence to guide patient selection, define appropriate clinical scenarios, or compare outcomes with traditional face-to-face care.
This research addresses these gaps by systematically evaluating the safety, effectiveness and feasibility of telemedicine in community palliative care. It aims to identify clinical conditions and patient characteristics that support successful use of telemedicine, and to assess both clinical and experiential outcomes in comparison to standard face-to-face care.
Findings from this study will inform evidence-based guidelines for integrating telemedicine into routine practice, supporting a hybrid model that delivers timely, equitable and patient-centred care. Ultimately, this will enhance service responsiveness and improve care quality for diverse palliative care populations.