Improved Patient Support through Support Group Webcasting: A Feasibility Assessment

Emotional stress resulting from chronic illness can be ameliorated by participation in a support group. Among mechanisms for implementing a support group, the in-person, moderated support group meeting remains the "gold standard" but can be medically and/or logistically challenging for many potential participants to attend. Taking care to address confidentiality concerns, we have developed a prototype of a web-based method for remote participants to attend in-person support group meetings. Using commonly available personal computing technology, authorized remote participants gain a realtime, audiovisual connection to the support group meeting, and on-site participants can receive and discuss textual comments from remote participants submitted to, and selected for discussion by, the group moderator. We are studying the feasibility of this method with some of our local support groups, with plans for efficacy studies to follow. Early use with one group has yielded encouraging results.