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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC 4.0BMJ Paediatrics Open

Evaluation of virtual care services offered to children across Ontario, Canada, during the COVID-19 pandemic

  • Elyse Rosa1,2
  • Natalie Easson1,2
  • Kate Jamieson1,2
  • Patrick McPhee1,2
  • Jean-Eric Tarride3,4
  • Olaf Kraus de Camargo5
  • Shauna Kingsnorth6,7
  • Dorothy Harvey8
  • Carolyn Hunt9,10
  • Stelios Georgiades1,2
10 affiliations
  1. 1Offord Centre for Child Studies; Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  2. 2Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  3. 3Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  4. 4Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  5. 5CanChild Centre for Childhood-onset Disability Research, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  6. 6Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  7. 7Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  8. 8Niagara Children’s Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
  9. 9Grandview Kids, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
  10. 10Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Abstract

Background: There is growing interest in virtual care provision to improve patient access to quality care, and while utilisation of virtual care services has increased, an evaluation of this modality of care is lacking.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate perceptions of a variety of virtual care services offered to children across Ontario throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This perception-based evaluation included a cross-sectional study design guided by the Quintuple Aim Framework focused on population health, user experience, provider experience, cost and equity. Data were collected from 44 organisations that provided virtual care to children, 194 service providers with various specialties and 909 parents/caregivers of children who have received virtual care in Ontario. Participants completed unique online questionnaires.

Results: The services provided to children that were reportedly most compatible with a virtual setting, regardless of the participant type, included speech-language pathology, therapy and social work services. The services least compatible with a virtual setting were physiotherapy and autism services. While modifications are required, perceived quality of care is equal to somewhat reduced in a virtual setting, and virtual care is more accessible and circumvents barriers to in-person care. Consequently, a targeted hybrid approach is the preferred future for the provision of care to children in Ontario.

Conclusions: Virtual care for children is not one size fits all. A targeted approach to providing care virtually, informed by this report, could optimise the allocation of virtual care resources to ensure its provision remains equitable and cost effective.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{rosa2026evaluation,
  title = {{Evaluation of virtual care services offered to children across Ontario, Canada, during the COVID-19 pandemic}},
  author = {Elyse Rosa and Natalie Easson and Kate Jamieson and Patrick McPhee and Jean-Eric Tarride and Olaf Kraus de Camargo and Shauna Kingsnorth and Dorothy Harvey and Carolyn Hunt and Stelios Georgiades},
  journal = {BMJ Paediatrics Open},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1136/bmjpo-2026-004492},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2026-004492},
  note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Evaluation of virtual care services offered to children across Ontario, Canada, during the COVID-19 pandemic
AU  - Elyse Rosa
AU  - Natalie Easson
AU  - Kate Jamieson
AU  - Patrick McPhee
AU  - Jean-Eric Tarride
AU  - Olaf Kraus de Camargo
AU  - Shauna Kingsnorth
AU  - Dorothy Harvey
AU  - Carolyn Hunt
AU  - Stelios Georgiades
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/26
JO  - BMJ Paediatrics Open
DO  - 10.1136/bmjpo-2026-004492
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2026-004492
AB  - Background: There is growing interest in virtual care provision to improve patient access to quality care, and while utilisation of virtual care services has increased, an evaluation of this modality of care is lacking.  Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate perceptions of a variety of virtual care services offered to children across Ontario throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.  Methods: This perception-based evaluation included a cross-sectional study design guided by the Quintuple Aim Framework focused on population health, user experience, provider experience, cost and equity. Data were collected from 44 organisations that provided virtual care to children, 194 service providers with various specialties and 909 parents/caregivers of children who have received virtual care in Ontario. Participants completed unique online questionnaires.  Results: The services provided to children that were reportedly most compatible with a virtual setting, regardless of the participant type, included speech-language pathology, therapy and social work services. The services least compatible with a virtual setting were physiotherapy and autism services. While modifications are required, perceived quality of care is equal to somewhat reduced in a virtual setting, and virtual care is more accessible and circumvents barriers to in-person care. Consequently, a targeted hybrid approach is the preferred future for the provision of care to children in Ontario.  Conclusions: Virtual care for children is not one size fits all. A targeted approach to providing care virtually, informed by this report, could optimise the allocation of virtual care resources to ensure its provision remains equitable and cost effective.
SN  - 2399-9772
ER  -