A systematic review of the factors that influence the quality and effectiveness of telesupervision for health professionals

Abstract

Introduction

Whilst telesupervision (clinical supervision undertaken using communication technology) is being used more frequently, there is limited information on what factors influence its effectiveness and quality. We undertook this systematic review to address this gap.

Methods

Eligible telesupervision studies were identified following targeted search of electronic databases and the grey literature. Data were synthesised thematically, resulting in development of core themes.

Results

We identified 286 papers for initial relevancy screening by title and abstract. The full text of 36 papers were then retrieved and assessed for further relevance. A total of 11 papers were included in the final analysis. We identified eight themes that contribute to effective and high-quality telesupervision: supervisee characteristics, supervisor characteristics, supervision characteristics, supervisory relationship, communication strategies, prior face-to-face contact, environmental factors and technological considerations.

Conclusion

From the available evidence, telesupervision can be a feasible and acceptable form of clinical supervision if set up well. Further studies with robust designs are required to strengthen the existing evidence on what makes telesupervision effective, as well as to examine its cost-effectiveness.