In the medical research industry, focus groups are an ideal method for exploring participants’ own meaning of health and illness. This is mainly due to the fact that various social determinants cause many health-related concerns throughout the course of one’s life.

In the past few years, conventional focus group discussions have transitioned to a digital space. But this doesn’t mean that traditional methods are obsolete. Using the latest focus group streaming technology, it’s now possible for in-person focus groups to have the same flexibility that online offers without sacrificing face-to-face interaction.

Aside from this, here’s how the right recording and streaming solution can benefit medical focus group facilitation.

 

What is the purpose of medical focus groups?

Interactive discussion gives researchers access to participants’ language and concepts regarding various topics in healthcare. Thus, giving them a better understanding of each respondent’s perceptions and the holistic views of the group.

Medical focus groups are a popular method for:

• Understanding one’s perception of illness and its causes
• Assessing the public’s experience with sickness
• Identifying health-risk factors
• Studying sensitive issues such as mental and sexual health
• Testing medical devices
• Gaining insight into patients’ experiences with medical facilities
• Exploring the behavior and needs of healthcare providers

How can CCam benefit medical focus groups?

Immersiveness

Traditional research facilities usually come with a camera view that only shows a fixed perspective from afar – limiting what remote observers can see during the session. To combat this, focus group streaming platforms such as CCam focus have introduced a modern HD 360° omnidirectional camera to create an immersive experience for everyone streaming the session on their desktops and devices.

This equipment allows remote viewers (e.g., research team, clients, participants) to watch simultaneous panoramic and close-up speaker views on their screens. Multiple camera angles ensure that every interaction is captured and recorded so medical researchers can hone in on the details without missing a thing.

For instance, focus group video streaming can be used in medical device testing to project respondents’ use of a new prototype to researchers and remote viewers. This allows them to closely observe how the device is maneuvered as if they were in the room themselves. Thus, minimizing intrusions for unbiased and elaborate feedback.

Comfort

Discussing topics that are sensitive in nature is commonplace in healthcare market research. But not everyone is receptive to talking about these issues in person. Some respondents may feel more open to sharing their experiences when behind a screen as opposed to having a face-to-face conversation with the moderator.

Taking this into consideration, CCam focus accommodates hybrid focus groups so that respondents have the option to participate either online or in-facility – enabling every speaker to take part in the conversation in a comfortable setting.

As a result, medical researchers can gather more honest and spontaneous responses from people actively contributing to the focus group discussion.

Security

With the influx of personal information revealed during each medical focus group discussion, ensuring data is stored in a secure location should be prioritized by researchers. With regards to this, CCam focus provides the security and convenience needed for storing confidential information.

To safeguard participants’ PII, CCam focus is HIPAA and GDPR compliant with a 256-bit advanced encryption standard. Remote viewers are also given individual login links and passcodes to prevent unwanted visitors from joining the session. Lastly, secure cloud storage enables researchers to access their projects whenever and wherever.

Support    

A dedicated focus group streaming platform like CCam focus offers unparalleled support before and during the medical focus group to prevent technical issues from hindering data collection.

A personalized service team helps guide you through equipment setup for optimal streaming and recording in your chosen location. Tech checks and full-service monitoring ensure that remote devices and in-person equipment are working properly throughout the entirety of the session so that interactions flow seamlessly between the moderator, clients, researchers, and respondents.

Unlike basic web-conferencing software, CCam also records each discussion twice – locally and via streaming – as an added safety net. This built-in redundancy assures that any unexpected errors don’t endanger your findings.

Experience Unparalleled Service and Optimized Technology With CCam® focus

CCam focus is the premiere recording and streaming solution that delivers uncompromised video and audio quality for in-person focus groups. Have a unified curation, storage, and sharing solution to keep your focus on the research instead of the logistics. Explore how CCam can enhance your in-facility project.