Methodological Insights From a Virtual, Team-Based Rapid Qualitative Method Applied to a Study of Providers' Perspectives of the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Hospital-To-Home Transitions

Hardeep Singh; Terence Tang; Rachel Thombs; Alana Armas; Jason X Nie; Michelle L A Nelson; Carolyn Steele Gray

doi:10.1177/16094069221107144

Methodological Insights From a Virtual, Team-Based Rapid Qualitative Method Applied to a Study of Providers' Perspectives of the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Hospital-To-Home Transitions

Int J Qual Methods. 2022 Jun 11:21:16094069221107144. doi: 10.1177/16094069221107144. eCollection 2022 Jan-Dec.

Authors

Hardeep Singh^{1

2

3}, Terence Tang⁴, Rachel Thombs^{5

6}, Alana Armas^{5

6}, Jason X Nie⁴, Michelle L A Nelson⁵, Carolyn Steele Gray^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
² Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ KITE, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
⁵ Bridgepoint Collaboratory for Research and Innovation, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁶ University of Toronto Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid virtual qualitative methods have gained attention in applied health research to produce timely, actionable results while complying with the pandemic restrictions. However, rigour and analytical depth may be two areas of concern for rapid qualitative methods.

Methods: In this paper, we present an overview of a virtual team-based rapid qualitative method within a study that explored health care providers' perspectives of how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted hospital-to-home transitions, lessons learned in applying this method, and recommendations for changes. Using this method, qualitative data were collected and analyzed using the Zoom Healthcare videoconferencing platform and telephone. Visual summary maps were iteratively created from the audio recordings of each interview through virtual analytic meetings with the team. Maps representing similar settings (e.g. hospital providers and community providers) and Sites were combined to form meta-maps representing that group's experience. The combinations of data that best fit together were used to form the final meta-map through discussion.

Results: This case example is used to provide a description of how to apply a virtual team-based rapid qualitative method. This paper also offers a discussion of the opportunities and challenges of applying this method, in particular how the virtual team-based rapid qualitative method could be modified to produce timely results virtually while attending to rigour and depth.

Conclusions: We contend that the virtual team-based rapid qualitative data collection and analysis method was useful for generating timely, rigorous, and in-depth knowledge about transitional care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The recommended modifications to this method may enhance its utility for researchers to apply to their qualitative research studies.

Keywords: action research; methods in qualitative inquiry; narrative; qualitative evaluation; virtual environments.