Experiences with Virtual Health Care for Children with Chronic Conditions Requiring High Needs for Pediatric Subspecialist Care and their Caregivers

Abstract

Purpose: This thesis investigated virtual health care experiences among children with high health care needs and their caregivers. Methods: Using a scoping review, we synthesized studies of virtual care experiences for children with medical complexity. Analyzing cross-sectional survey data from an existing Canadian study, we then examined caregiver-reported experiences with virtual care for children with inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Of 34 studies included in the scoping review, we identified inconsistencies in the conceptualization and measurement of virtual care, and limited attention to experiences specific to sociodemographic subgroups (5 studies). Seventy-one caregivers participated in the survey; they endorsed benefits of virtual care such as a reduced need to travel and challenges such as communication barriers. Conclusions: Findings highlight the need for harmonized, equity-focused frameworks for evaluating virtual care. While virtual care presented benefits, some challenges persisted, suggesting areas for improvement in post-pandemic virtual care for pediatric populations.