Most patients felt clinicians addressed their concerns, according to a new study that assessed patient satisfaction with medical and social needs care during telemedicine visits.
Virtual health care visits can successfully address social determinants of health (SDoH), according to recent survey results published in Cureus.
To gauge the impact of telemedicine, a team of researchers polled a small group of patients, ranging in age from 18-74 years, from a university-affiliated primary care training clinic in Detroit, about their satisfaction with the visit. The survey consisted of 20 questions exploring demographics, previous experience and satisfaction with telemedicine and technologies such as Zoom, and an assessment of the virtual visit itself, SDoH screening, and other technical aspects of the visit.
Researchers found:
- Of the 79 individuals who completed the survey regarding their virtual care, most expressed comfort in discussing their health concerns virtually and only three percent said they were uncomfortable with the format
- After their first telemedicine experience, 60 percent of patients felt some level of comfort with virtual care, 14 percent said they were still uncomfortable, and 26 percent were neutral
- Most respondents (88 percent) said they were willing to participate in future telemedicine visits
- Sixty-three percent of the respondents “strongly agreed” that their SDoH concerns were addressed and 59 percent “strongly agreed” that the resources provided during the appointment were helpful
- Sixty-one percent of participants found Zoom easy to use and 78 percent reported no technical difficulties
The results are encouraging, noted researchers, given the drastic uptake of telemedicine and virtual health care in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With the increased implementation of telemedicine and rapid acceleration of its teaching in medical education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, assessing patient satisfaction with the virtual healthcare they receive is crucial,” researchers wrote. “While the integration of telemedicine allows for convenient access to medical care, assuring quality care and patient satisfaction is important. As technological advances in virtual physical exam tools, video visits, and internet connectivity continue to improve and expand, so will the access to medical care via virtual format.”