Online strategy needed for neurological care

Neurological care providers are currently delivering around 60% of their services online compared to just 8% pre-Covid. However, almost half of patients are not being reached online, the Neurological Alliance of Ireland (NAI) has said.

The alliance, which is made up of over 30 non-profit organisations, has published a new report, which calls for a national strategy to ensure neurological care providers are adequately resourced to deliver services online.

The report includes details of surveys and interviews of both service users and providers about their experiences of receiving or delivering care online.

The survey of service users found that while 75% would use online services in the future, 26% reported poor broadband as a barrier to accessing such services.

Furthermore, NAI members estimated that they are currently reaching an average of just 53% of their client base through their online service provision, leaving 47% without online services.

According to NAI executive director, Magdalen Rogers, the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic “saw the beginning of a rapid and unprecedented move to deliver online services and supports across neurological care services”.

“Within a very short timeframe, people with neurological conditions were accessing hospital appointments, physiotherapy sessions, support groups and information through their laptop or smartphone,” she explained.

She said that care providers “adapted exceptionally well” to this new way of providing care. However, she warned that if online services are to continue, a national coordinated approach to the provision of online healthcare is required.

Such an approach needs to recognise the resources needed in terms of equipment, expertise and dedicated staffing, she noted. The barriers that prevent people using online services also need to be addressed.

“The report shows that technological barriers are a real issue for both patients and staff when it comes to delivering online care. Service providers reported a lack of appropriate IT equipment and poor broadband as key factors affecting their ability to deliver online care. This needs to be addressed as part of a new national strategy for the delivery of online neurological care services,” Ms Rogers said.

Meanwhile, the report noted that 74% of service users would ideally like to avail of a combination of face-to-face and online services in the future.

“Patients should be enabled to have real choices about how their care is delivered and should not be disenfranchised by the use of digital technology in providing services. We want to see a hybrid model of care, where patients can choose between face-to-face or online care depending on what suits their circumstances best.

“However, this is contingent upon a national strategy being in place where service providers have the appropriate level of resource to provide effective and accessible online services,” Ms Rogers added.

The report, Looking Beyond Covid-19: Embracing Digital Solutions to Neurological Care, can be viewed here.