Conduct a critical appraisal of the four peer-reviewed articles you selected by completing the Evaluation Table within the Critical Appraisal Tool Worksheet Template. Choose a total of four peer- reviewed articles that you selected related to your clinical topic of interest in Module 2 and Module 3.
Note: You can choose any combination of articles from Modules 2 and 3 for your Critical Appraisal. For example, you may choose two unfiltered research articles from Module 2 and two filtered research articles (systematic reviews) from Module 3 or one article from Module 2 and three articles from Module 3. You can choose any combination of articles from the prior Module Assignments as long as both modules and types of studies are represented.
Part 3B: Critical Appraisal of Research
Based on your appraisal, in a 1-2-page critical appraisal, suggest a best practice that emerges from the research you reviewed. Briefly explain the best practice, justifying your proposal with APA citations of the research.
Critical appraisal is an essential component of evidence-based practice that helps to evaluate the quality, relevance, and applicability of research articles. In this essay, I will conduct a critical appraisal of four peer-reviewed articles related to my clinical topic of interest, which is the use of telehealth technology to deliver healthcare services. I will use the Evaluation Table within the Critical Appraisal Tool Worksheet Template to assess the articles’ methodological quality, results, and implications for practice. Based on my appraisal, I will suggest a best practice that emerges from the research I reviewed.
Article 1: Bashshur et al. (2016). The empirical evidence for telemedicine interventions in mental disorders. Telemedicine and e-Health, 22(2), 87-113.
This article is a systematic review that aimed to assess the empirical evidence for telemedicine interventions in mental disorders. The authors reviewed 18 studies that used telemedicine to deliver mental health services and concluded that telemedicine is a viable and effective mode of service delivery for mental health care. The article scored high on methodological quality, with a comprehensive search strategy and clear inclusion and exclusion criteria. The authors used a standardized approach to assess the studies’ risk of bias and reported their findings in a transparent and objective manner. The best practice that emerges from this study is that telemedicine interventions can be an effective and feasible alternative to traditional face-to-face interventions for mental health care, particularly in rural and underserved areas where access to mental health services is limited.
Article 2: Kruse et al. (2017). Telemedicine use in rural Native American communities in the era of the ACA: a systematic literature review. Journal of Medical Systems, 41(8), 129.
This article is a systematic review that aimed to assess the use of telemedicine in rural Native American communities. The authors reviewed 22 studies that used telemedicine to deliver healthcare services to Native Americans and concluded that telemedicine can improve access to care, reduce costs, and enhance patient satisfaction in these communities. The article scored high on methodological quality, with a comprehensive search strategy and clear inclusion and exclusion criteria. The authors used a standardized approach to assess the studies’ risk of bias and reported their findings in a transparent and objective manner. The best practice that emerges from this study is that telemedicine can be an effective strategy to improve healthcare access and outcomes for rural Native American communities.
Article 3: Kairy et al. (2015). The patient’s perspective of in-home telerehabilitation physiotherapy services following total knee arthroplasty. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(4), 4074-4088.
This article is a qualitative study that aimed to explore the patient’s perspective of in-home telerehabilitation physiotherapy services following total knee arthroplasty. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 patients who received telerehabilitation services and found that patients had positive experiences with the technology, felt empowered and engaged in their rehabilitation, and had improved access to care. The article scored high on methodological quality, with a clear research question, appropriate sampling, and rigorous data analysis. The best practice that emerges from this study is that in-home telerehabilitation physiotherapy services can be an effective and well-received alternative to traditional in-person rehabilitation services for patients following total knee arthroplasty.
Article 4: Smith et al. (2017). A systematic review of telemedicine interventions to support blood pressure self-monitoring in hypertensive patients. Clinical Hypertension, 23(1), 13.
This article is a systematic review that aimed to assess the effectiveness of telemedicine interventions to support blood pressure self-monitoring in hypertensive patients. The authors reviewed 14 studies and found that telemedicine