Liam J Caffery

• The University of Queensland

Introduction As telehealth services are increasingly utilised and mature, it is important to continue to assess the preferences of both consumers and providers to ensure that these services are being used in the most acceptable and effective manner. This review aims to analyse both consumer and provider preferences for telephone and video consultat...

Importance Greater use of novel digital technologies could be associated with improved health outcomes and save health care costs by detecting smaller melanomas earlier (needing less treatment) or benign tumors (needing no treatment). Objective To compare costs and health effects of 3-dimensional (3D) total-body photography (TBP) and sequential di...

Importance Three-dimensional (3D) total-body photography (TBP) can support clinicians in monitoring and identifying changes to skin lesions in patients at high risk of melanoma. Objective To assess clinical outcomes between patients at high risk of melanoma receiving usual clinical care compared with those receiving usual care plus 3D TBP and sequ...

Background Telehealth-facilitated models of palliative care are a patient-focused way to deliver specialist care in or closer to home for people with a life-limiting illness. Telehealth can increase access to palliative care and support people experiencing symptoms of advanced disease in their own home, reducing the discomfort of travel. This retro...

Sustaining telehealth uptake hinges on people’s desire and ability to effectively engage with it. We explored trust and confidence in telehealth delivered by medical and allied health using cross-sectional survey of 1,116 Australians. Descriptive analysis presented factors that would improve trust and confidence in telehealth cross-tabulated with v...

This narrative review discusses the important characteristics of electronic health (eHealth) interventions and critiques the cultural quality of eHealth research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Thirty‐nine publications reporting on a variety of eHealth modalities to address health challenges with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Isl...

Introduction eConsults are asynchronous digital communications for primary care professionals to seek timely specialist advice. Potential benefits include increased primary healthcare capacity and referral efficiency. Santa Catarina Telehealth Centre in Brazil has offered eConsults for an increasing number of specialties since 2008. This study desc...

Objective This systematic review compared clinical, service and cost effectiveness of telephone consultations (TC) to video consultations (VC). Methods We searched Embase, CINAHL and MEDLINE for empirical studies that compared TC to VC using clinical, service or economic outcome measures. Clinician or patient preference and satisfaction studies we...

Background Telehealth-facilitated models of palliative care are a patient-focused way to deliver specialist care in or closer to home for people with a life-limiting illness. Telehealth can increase access to palliative care and support people experiencing symptoms of advanced disease in their own home, reducing the discomfort of travel. This retro...

Acceptability (of healthcare services) is an important construct that lacks a consistent definition within research. Addressing this issue, a systematic review led to the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. In this study, we describe the development (based on the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability) and validation of the Digital Health Accep...

Consumer trust and confidence in telehealth is pivotal to successful service implementation and effective consultations. This cross-sectional study measured trust and confidence in telephone and video consultations and associated with experience in telehealth modalities among people with chronic kidney disease at a metropolitan hospital in Australi...

The aim of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of remote patient monitoring (RPM) with First Nations peoples living with diabetes. This study was set at the Goondir Health Service (GHS), an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Health in South-West Queensland. Electronic medical records and RPM data were provided...

We aimed to assess if experience with telehealth modalities, acceptability and levels of trust in telehealth vary with the need for an interpreter using a cross-sectional survey of telehealth consumers in Australia. Non-parametric tests were used to compare the means and percentages between those who required an interpreter and those who did not. A...

BACKGROUND There are numerous benefits to delivering care via telehealth. Yet, healthcare professionals (HCPs) willingness to use telehealth is one of the greatest barriers to its adoption. Decisions regarding whether to use telehealth may be based on assumptions and concerns that are not necessarily borne of evidence. To effectively address psycho...

Background There are numerous benefits to delivering care via video consultations (VCs). Yet, the willingness of health care professionals (HCPs) to use video as a modality of care is one of the greatest barriers to its adoption. Decisions regarding whether to use video may be based on assumptions and concerns that are not necessarily borne of evid...

Introduction Telehealth use within allied health services currently lacks structure and consistency, ultimately affecting who can, and cannot, access services. This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing allied health professionals’ (AHP) selection of consumers and appointments for telehealth. Methods This study was conducted across 16...

This brief editorial describes an emerging area of machine learning technology called large language models (LLMs). LLMs, such as ChatGPT, are the technological disruptor of this decade. They are going to be integrated into search engines (Bing and Google) and into Microsoft products in the coming months. They will therefore fundamentally change th...

Aim: To gain a better understanding of consumer experiences with and preferences for telephone and videoconference consultations (telehealth), and how these compare to traditional in-person consultations. Methods: A national cross-sectional survey was administered to a representative sample of Australian adults who have received a telehealth ser...

Introduction: Cancer clinical trials have traditionally occurred in-person. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced adaptions of all aspects of cancer care (including clinical trials) so they can be delivered remotely. We aimed to quantify and qualify current use of telehealth and how it can be further improved and routinely integrated into canc...

Dementia rates within Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations are estimated to be three to five times higher than non-Indigenous populations. Geographical and cultural barriers demand creative ways of delivering culturally appropriate effective dementia care. Focus groups and interviews with people ( N = 73) from three Aborigin...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the ability for computers to simulate human intelligence. In dermatology, there is substantial interest in using AI to identify skin lesions from images. Due to increasing research and interest in the use of AI, the Australasian College of Dermatologists has developed a position statement to inform its members of app...

The COVID-19 pandemic was a catalyst for the introduction of additional telehealth funding (telehealth item numbers) for general practitioner (GP) consultations through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) in Australia. This study evaluated the impact of telehealth funding on costs to the MBS for GP consultations from January 2017 to December 2021....

Introduction Digital health interventions can be useful for the management of chronic disease. The aim of this study was to draw out universal themes to understand how people with chronic conditions experience digital health services, programmes, and interventions, and consequently, better inform future digital health delivery. Methods An umbrella...

In Australia, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the exponential growth in the delivery of telehealth services. Medicare data indicates that the majority of telehealth consultations have used the telephone, despite the known benefits of using video. The aim of this study was to understand the perceived quality and effectiveness of in-person, tel...

Introduction High rates of dementia among Australian First Nations’ peoples have resulted in an increased demand for dementia knowledge and skills among the primary health care professionals in these communities. The Dementia Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) program aims to be a culturally safe way of increasing local health workf...

As 3D total‐body photography for the early detection of melanoma is not yet widely used in clinical practice, we do not have a full understanding of patient's concerns about use, privacy and confidentiality, and if their concerns differ depending on the use‐case. We conducted a virtual consumer forum to assess patients concerns about privacy and co...

The Australian Health Consumer Sentiment Survey is a population-based study of health consumer sentiment and provides an important barometer of satisfaction and opinions about the Australian health system. The survey was co-designed by academics and researchers from Macquarie University together with health consumer advocates and consumer-researche...

Background The use of artificial intelligence (AI) for dermatology is showing great promise in research contexts. However, the clinical use of AI in dermatology is still limited. The uptake of medical imaging standards for dermatology imaging is also limited. Standards adoption is more widespread in other imaging specialties (eg, radiology) as is t...

BACKGROUND The use of artificial intelligence (AI) for dermatology is showing great promise in research contexts. However, the clinical use of AI in dermatology is still limited. The uptake of medical imaging standards for dermatology imaging is also limited. Standards adoption is more widespread in other imaging specialties (eg, radiology) as is t...