An assessment of the readiness of hospice organizations to accept technological innovation.

We surveyed seven of the 62 certified hospice programmes in the state of Missouri. The survey consisted of 19 questions that covered demographic information, how employees received new information, the current use of various forms of technology, employees' comfort with technology and their perceptions of the use of video-phones. A total of 124 surveys were returned. Respondents were categorized within the following disciplines: nurses (48%), administrators and nurse supervisors (6%), social workers (9%), physicians (3%), home health aids (18%), chaplains (5%) and other staff (e.g. clerical and bereavement staff) (12%). Staff reported using several types of technological device at work but not a video-phone or a Web camera. There were significant differences between hospices in the degree of use of computers at work, the number of devices used at work and the perceived benefits of video-phone technology. There were significant differences between disciplines in the degree of use of computers at work and at home, the number of devices used at work, and their comfort both with the use of new technology and with the idea of introducing new technology to patients and their families. Because there were variations in the perceived usefulness of video-phones for hospice care, the introduction of such equipment would require substantial involvement of the users.