Noora Alhajri1, Mecit Can Emre Simsekler2, Buthaina Alfalasi3, Mohamed Alhashmi1, Majd AlGhatrif4, Nahed Balalaa5, Maryam Al Ali6, Raghda Almaashari7, Shammah Al Memari8, Farida Al Hosani9, Yousif Al Zaabi9, Shereena Almazroui9, Hamed Alhashemi10, Ovidiu C Baltatu1. 1. Khalifa University College of Medicine and Health Science, Al Saada St - Zone 1 - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, AE. 2. Khalif university, College of Engineering, Abu Dhabi, AE. 3. Zayed Military Hospital, Department of Family Medicine, Abu Dhabi, AE. 4. Johns Hopkins Department of Medicine, Abu Dhabi, AE. 5. Department of General Surgery, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), Abu Dhabi, AE. 6. Ambulatory Health Services, Zafarana Clinic, SEHA, Abu Dhabi, AE. 7. Department of Dermatology, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), Abu Dhabi, AE. 8. Abu Dhabi Public Health Center, Abu Dhabi, AE. 9. Abu Dhabi Public Health Center (ADPHC), Abu Dhabi, AE. 10. Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, AE.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: BACKGROUND To mitigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare systems all over the world implemented telemedicine technologies to respond to the growing need of the healthcare services during these unprecedented times. In the UAE, video and audio consultations have been implemented to deliver health services during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether differences exist in physician's attitude and perception of video and audio consultation when delivering telemedicine services during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether differences exist in physician's attitude and perception of video and audio consultation when delivering telemedicine services during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: METHODS This was a survey-based study conducted on a cohort of 880 physicians from Abu Dhabi outpatient departments who used telemedicine services during the COVID-19 pandemic between November and December 2020. A total of 623 physicians responded, yielding a response rate of 70.8%. The survey used a 5-point Likert scale to measure physician's attitude and perception of video and audio consultation with reference to the quality of the clinical consultation and the professional working productivity. Descriptive statistics were used to describe physician's sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, physician's designation, clinical specialty, duration of practice, previous experience with telemedicine) and telemedicine modality (video vs. audio consultation). Regression models were used to describe the association between telemedicine modality and physicians' characteristics with the perceived outcomes of the virtual consultation. RESULTS: RESULTS When compared to audio consultation, video consultation was associated significantly with physicians' confidence toward managing acute consultations (OR=1.62, 95%CI: 1.2-2.21, p=0.002), and an increased ability to provide patient education during the virtual consultation (OR=2.21, 95%CI: 1.04-4.33, p=0.039). There was no statistically significant difference in physician's confidence toward managing chronic and follow-up consultations when using video or audio consultation (OR= 1.35, 95% CI: 0.88 - 2.08, p=0.17). Video consultation was less likely to be associated with reduced overall consultation time (OR= 0.69, 95% CI: 0.51-0.93, p= 0.016) and reduced patient note documentation time when compared to face-to-face visits (OR= 0.48, 95%CI: 0.36-0.65, p <0.001). Previous experience with telemedicine was associated significantly with lower perceived risk of misdiagnosis (0.46, 95% CI: 0.3 - 0.71, p <0.001), and an increased physician-patient rapport (OR= 2.49, 95% CI: 1.26 - 4.9, p= 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: CONCLUSION These results indicate that video consultation should be adopted frequently in the remote new clinical consultation. Previous experience with telemedicine was associated with two times higher confidence in treating acute conditions, less than a half of the perceived risk of misdiagnosis, and an increased ability to provide the patient with health education and physician-patient rapport. Additionally, these results show that audio consultation is equivalent to video consultation for providing remote follow-up care to patients with chronic conditions. These findings may be beneficial to policymakers of e-health programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where audio consultation may significantly increase access to geographically remote health services.
BACKGROUND: BACKGROUND To mitigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare systems all over the world implemented telemedicine technologies to respond to the growing need of the healthcare services during these unprecedented times. In the UAE, video and audio consultations have been implemented to deliver health services during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether differences exist in physician's attitude and perception of video and audio consultation when delivering telemedicine services during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether differences exist in physician's attitude and perception of video and audio consultation when delivering telemedicine services during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: METHODS This was a survey-based study conducted on a cohort of 880 physicians from Abu Dhabi outpatient departments who used telemedicine services during the COVID-19 pandemic between November and December 2020. A total of 623 physicians responded, yielding a response rate of 70.8%. The survey used a 5-point Likert scale to measure physician's attitude and perception of video and audio consultation with reference to the quality of the clinical consultation and the professional working productivity. Descriptive statistics were used to describe physician's sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, physician's designation, clinical specialty, duration of practice, previous experience with telemedicine) and telemedicine modality (video vs. audio consultation). Regression models were used to describe the association between telemedicine modality and physicians' characteristics with the perceived outcomes of the virtual consultation. RESULTS: RESULTS When compared to audio consultation, video consultation was associated significantly with physicians' confidence toward managing acute consultations (OR=1.62, 95%CI: 1.2-2.21, p=0.002), and an increased ability to provide patient education during the virtual consultation (OR=2.21, 95%CI: 1.04-4.33, p=0.039). There was no statistically significant difference in physician's confidence toward managing chronic and follow-up consultations when using video or audio consultation (OR= 1.35, 95% CI: 0.88 - 2.08, p=0.17). Video consultation was less likely to be associated with reduced overall consultation time (OR= 0.69, 95% CI: 0.51-0.93, p= 0.016) and reduced patient note documentation time when compared to face-to-face visits (OR= 0.48, 95%CI: 0.36-0.65, p <0.001). Previous experience with telemedicine was associated significantly with lower perceived risk of misdiagnosis (0.46, 95% CI: 0.3 - 0.71, p <0.001), and an increased physician-patient rapport (OR= 2.49, 95% CI: 1.26 - 4.9, p= 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: CONCLUSION These results indicate that video consultation should be adopted frequently in the remote new clinical consultation. Previous experience with telemedicine was associated with two times higher confidence in treating acute conditions, less than a half of the perceived risk of misdiagnosis, and an increased ability to provide the patient with health education and physician-patient rapport. Additionally, these results show that audio consultation is equivalent to video consultation for providing remote follow-up care to patients with chronic conditions. These findings may be beneficial to policymakers of e-health programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where audio consultation may significantly increase access to geographically remote health services.
Authors: Abdul Rahman Taha; Mustafa Shehadeh; Ali Alshehhi; Tariq Altamimi; Emma Housser; Mecit Can Emre Simsekler; Buthaina Alfalasi; Shammah Al Memari; Farida Al Hosani; Yousif Al Zaabi; Shereena Almazroui; Hamed Alhashemi; Noora Alhajri Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-02-24 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Ahmad Z Al Meslamani; Raghad Al-Dulaymi; Husam El Sharu; Zaid Alwarawrah; Osama Mohamed Ibrahim; Nadia Al Mazrouei Journal: J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) Date: 2022-05-28
Authors: Noora Alhajri; Mecit Can Emre Simsekler; Buthaina Alfalasi; Mohamed Alhashmi; Hamda Memon; Emma Housser; Abdulhamid Mustafa Abdi; Nahed Balalaa; Maryam Al Ali; Raghda Almaashari; Shammah Al Memari; Farida Al Hosani; Yousif Al Zaabi; Shereena Almazrouei; Hamed Alhashemi Journal: JMIR Med Inform Date: 2022-02-15