Trust and Uncertainty in the Implementation of a Pilot Remote Blood Pressure Monitoring Program in Primary Care: Qualitative Study of Patient and Health Care Professional Views

Background Trust is of fundamental importance to the adoption of technologies in health care. The increasing use of telemedicine worldwide makes it important to consider user views and experiences. In particular, we ask how the mediation of a technological platform alters the trust relationship between patient and health care provider. Objective To date, few qualitative studies have focused on trust in the use of remote health care technologies. This study examined the perspectives of patients and clinical staff who participated in a remote blood pressure monitoring program, focusing on their experiences of trust and uncertainty in the use of technology and how this telehealth intervention may have affected the patient-provider relationship. Methods A secondary qualitative analysis using inductive thematic analysis was conducted on interview data from 13 patients and 8 staff members who participated in a remote blood pressure monitoring program to elicit themes related to trust. Results In total, 4 themes were elicited that showed increased trust (patients felt reassured, patients trusted the telehealth program, staff felt that the data were trustworthy, and a better patient-provider partnership based on the mutually trusted data), and 4 themes were elicited that reflected decreased trust (patients’ distrust of technology, clinicians’ concerns about the limitations of technologically mediated interactions, experiences of uncertainty, and institutional risk). Conclusions Managing trust relationships plays an important role in the successful implementation of telemedicine. Ensuring that trust building is incorporated in the design of telehealth interventions can contribute to improved effectiveness and quality of care.