An assessment of parental satisfaction with mode of delivery of specialist advice for paediatric cardiology: face-to-face versus videoconference.

Comparisons of parental satisfaction were made after specialist paediatric cardiology consultations were conducted either by conventional face-to-face delivery or telemedicine. Satisfaction statements were rated by 100 parents: 20 who experienced telemedicine; 56 with new children seen in the outreach clinics; 24 with children on review whose next appointment was at the specialist centre. There was general satisfaction with both types of consultations, but significant differences were noted. Those who had videoconferences felt that they had received an explanation about how the specialist advice would be obtained, and that they could see the pictures being discussed clearly. Those who had experienced telemedicine believed that teleconsultations could save them travelling time and money and they found the technical aspects of sound and picture quality acceptable. They were not discomforted by the technology and felt reassured by the consultation with the specialist. However, there was some ambivalence towards the statements suggesting that teleconsultations could take the place of conventional face-to-face consultations.