Attitudes and perceptions of outpatients towards adoption of telemedicine in healthcare during COVID-19 pandemic

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Irish Journal of Medical Science

Abstract

Background: Asia is home to a burgeoning market for telemedicine with the availability of cheaper smartphones and internet services. Due to a rise in telemedicine use by doctors and patients, it is imperative to understand the perception of patients towards the adoption of telemedicine, the availability of telemedicine to the general population, the frequency with which patients avail these services, and the motivation or apprehensions in using them, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aims: The study is performed to understand the behavioral attitude and perceptions of the population regarding telemedicine and, in doing so, make services more user-friendly for patients. Methods: A total of 1170 participants were surveyed using a structured online questionnaire to assess the perceptions towards the adoption of telemedicine in healthcare delivery services. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify key variables of knowledge and attitude affecting the utilization of telemedicine. Results: Of the total respondents, 35.3% of patients never encountered telemedicine before and 26.9% did not come across telemedicine even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Understanding the perceptions of patients, using targeted health education, positive communication, and behavioral modifications, is the key factor to be addressed to mitigate the apprehensions towards telemedicine and improve the utilization of the services.

First Page

1505

Last Page

1512

DOI

10.1007/s11845-021-02729-6

Publication Date

8-1-2022

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS