Table 1.
Subthemes related to Theme 1: Participant perceptions of telehealth acceptability was highly influenced by exposure.
| Subthemes | Telehealth participants (n = 11) | In-person participants (n = 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Telehealth considered easy, convenient, and flexible by telehealth group, but inferior and misunderstood by in-person group | I did find that even doing the exercises online, that was quite easy. P14 | Look, it had to be much better for me [to do in-person] because I need another person who will motivate myself even though I know I need to do it. It's much better to know that I've got to turn up somewhere and it's directed and I'm doing for an hour and then it's done, so face-to-face works so much better for me. P1 |
| For me, it's really convenient. I'm still working pretty much full-time, so busy lifestyle. So I'm not sort of retired and sitting around waiting to do exercises. I've gotta fit it in here and fit it in there. P2 | From the instruction side of things, learning from the instructor. I think I'd rather be with the instructor or in centre doing it rather than the tele[health]. P10 | |
| I think the fact that it allows people to do it in their own home and I had the flexibility with that because of my job and being a shift-worker. P9 | Tele-rehab? I think that – I mean, obviously, it probably wouldn't flow quite as well … It's just – at the moment, it's too easy to find excuses not to do it at home. P15 | |
| I guess the ease of having a physio, supervising in your own home – that's a big positive for me, if you're time-poor. P14 | I think the commitment to when you've made an appointment and you have to go that's always an incentive that gets you there, whereas it's very easy – if it was a hook-up, I guess, over the screen, you're actually dealing with the person at the other end? Like do you have to make an appointment or is it just clicking in website and you're running through the program? P8 | |
| Telehealth was well supervised and quality feedback was provided | The physios were really onto anything that they gave me a lot of feedback as to my positioning, and it was very detailed, and it seemed to me that it was like they were there in the room. So, that worked very well. P19 | NA |
| I think the sessions are good because the physio can see what you're doing …. they can see everything literally and you can't hide. I didn't think I could hide anyway over a screen. P2 | ||
| Technology hiccups could be worked out | [Telehealth] was really easy. Once I worked out how to use the iPad and the program and the platform. P19 | NA |
| It was a bit annoying with the technology didn't work but I mean that's part of life but, otherwise, I actually quite enjoyed [telehealth]. P3 |
P: patient; NA: not applicable.