A telehealth case study of videophone use between family members.

This case study extends beyond the institution-centric provider-patient dyad to examine telehealth communication between a nursing home resident and a geographically distant family member. The participants communicated regularly for three months by videophone. They found technical performance and usability acceptable and were generally satisfied with this application of telehealth technology. They assumed a strong role in self-remedying technical and usability problems they experienced. Potential implications associated with such use of telehealth technology by residence-based patients and their significant others, and the self-directedness displayed by participants in this case study, are discussed.