Remote meeting technologies and the value of time: An ethnographic study of digital home care services

Research problem and specific questionsThe ways in which increased digitalisation affects time appears to be at the heart of many current societal debates. Time is a multidimensional concept and has different meanings.

There is actual time that is objective (clock time), but time is also subjective because there are differences in how time is experienced (perception of time).

There is extensive research on actual and perceived time, but what is seldom discussed is that time also is something that is valued in different ways. Depending on what type of technology we consider, digitalisation can both increase and decrease time efficiency.

This project will focus on two types of remote meeting technologies: video visits and mobile safety alarms connected to an emergency team.

By exploring these two types of technologies used within a home care service, this research project aims to understand and explain what implications their use has on actual and perceived time, as well as how time is valued by first-line managers, care staff, and care users.Data and methodThe project draws on an ethnographic study.

Different types of data will be used: time measurement analyses of meetings, travel distances, and schedules; interviews with first-line managers, care staff and care users; and observations of video visits between care staff and care users and the use of mobile safety alarms.Societal relevance and utilisationThe project addresses a contemporary urgent challenge faced by Swedish eldercare face.

The number of older people in need of care is increasing during a simultaneous shortage of care staff. Technologies have been put forward as one solution to tackling these problems by increasing time-use efficiency.

However, knowledge is very limited as to how remote meeting technologies affect how time is spent within home care and what conflicting expectations first-line managers, care staff, and care users have regarding time. Home care have been criticised for focusing too much on clock time and schedueling every minute.

This project contributes to broadening the understanding of what time and time efficiency mean.

The results will primarily be used by home care services in their continued development of digital health care.Plan for project realisationThe research project will run for three years. It will be led and carried out by associate professor Gabriella Scaramuzzino, who will work at 50%. The study will be carried out in collaboration with a home care service.