Patients' perceptions of telehealth video visits experience in primary healthcare setting, Saudi Arabia

Background: The widespread utilization of telehealth recently in Saudi Arabia is unprepared and may have a remarkable adverse effect on healthcare delivery. The study aimed to investigate attitude, satisfaction, and barriers of telehealth application among patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-se...

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Main Authors: Hanan F. Alotaibi, Sultan S. Ghazi, Nisreen O. Asraf, Zahra S. Al Asmari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2023-11-01
Series:Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2269_22
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author Hanan F. Alotaibi
Sultan S. Ghazi
Nisreen O. Asraf
Zahra S. Al Asmari
author_facet Hanan F. Alotaibi
Sultan S. Ghazi
Nisreen O. Asraf
Zahra S. Al Asmari
author_sort Hanan F. Alotaibi
collection DOAJ
description Background: The widespread utilization of telehealth recently in Saudi Arabia is unprepared and may have a remarkable adverse effect on healthcare delivery. The study aimed to investigate attitude, satisfaction, and barriers of telehealth application among patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at primary healthcare centers during the period of December 2021–January 2022. All Saudi patients (≥18 years) who were treated through telehealth programs in specialized polyclinic were eligible for study inclusion. A self-administered questionnaire was utilized and consists of four main parts: personal information, history of using telehealth, assessment of satisfaction with telehealth program, and attitude toward telemedicine. Results: A total of 641 participants were included. Females represented 57.3% of them. A majority (82.7%) of patients were satisfied with telemedicine services. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that Bachelor/postgraduates were more likely to be satisfied with telemedicine services (P < 0.001), whereas patients reported no appointment slot in the clinic were less likely to be satisfied with telemedicine services (P = 0.042). A majority of patients (84.1%) expressed positive attitude toward telemedicine services. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that older patients (P = 0.002) and widowed (P = 0.001) were less likely to have positive attitude toward utilization of telemedicine services, whereas Bachelor/postgraduates (P = 0.038) and patients with more than this time were more likely to have positive attitude toward telemedicine services (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Patients were overall satisfied and expressed positive attitude concerning the service of telemedicine consultation. However, more in-depth investigation is recommended to better understand the predictors of satisfaction with telemedicine and barriers for its proper application.
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2278-7135
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spelling doaj-art-907ee04dbd4f4e6983f48cc6aca6dff92024-11-11T13:53:18ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Family Medicine and Primary Care2249-48632278-71352023-11-0112112676268410.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2269_22Patients' perceptions of telehealth video visits experience in primary healthcare setting, Saudi ArabiaHanan F. AlotaibiSultan S. GhaziNisreen O. AsrafZahra S. Al AsmariBackground: The widespread utilization of telehealth recently in Saudi Arabia is unprepared and may have a remarkable adverse effect on healthcare delivery. The study aimed to investigate attitude, satisfaction, and barriers of telehealth application among patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at primary healthcare centers during the period of December 2021–January 2022. All Saudi patients (≥18 years) who were treated through telehealth programs in specialized polyclinic were eligible for study inclusion. A self-administered questionnaire was utilized and consists of four main parts: personal information, history of using telehealth, assessment of satisfaction with telehealth program, and attitude toward telemedicine. Results: A total of 641 participants were included. Females represented 57.3% of them. A majority (82.7%) of patients were satisfied with telemedicine services. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that Bachelor/postgraduates were more likely to be satisfied with telemedicine services (P < 0.001), whereas patients reported no appointment slot in the clinic were less likely to be satisfied with telemedicine services (P = 0.042). A majority of patients (84.1%) expressed positive attitude toward telemedicine services. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that older patients (P = 0.002) and widowed (P = 0.001) were less likely to have positive attitude toward utilization of telemedicine services, whereas Bachelor/postgraduates (P = 0.038) and patients with more than this time were more likely to have positive attitude toward telemedicine services (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Patients were overall satisfied and expressed positive attitude concerning the service of telemedicine consultation. However, more in-depth investigation is recommended to better understand the predictors of satisfaction with telemedicine and barriers for its proper application.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2269_22attitudebarriersprimary healthcaresatisfactionsaudi arabiatelemedicine
spellingShingle Hanan F. Alotaibi
Sultan S. Ghazi
Nisreen O. Asraf
Zahra S. Al Asmari
Patients' perceptions of telehealth video visits experience in primary healthcare setting, Saudi Arabia
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
attitude
barriers
primary healthcare
satisfaction
saudi arabia
telemedicine
title Patients' perceptions of telehealth video visits experience in primary healthcare setting, Saudi Arabia
title_full Patients' perceptions of telehealth video visits experience in primary healthcare setting, Saudi Arabia
title_fullStr Patients' perceptions of telehealth video visits experience in primary healthcare setting, Saudi Arabia
title_full_unstemmed Patients' perceptions of telehealth video visits experience in primary healthcare setting, Saudi Arabia
title_short Patients' perceptions of telehealth video visits experience in primary healthcare setting, Saudi Arabia
title_sort patients perceptions of telehealth video visits experience in primary healthcare setting saudi arabia
topic attitude
barriers
primary healthcare
satisfaction
saudi arabia
telemedicine
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2269_22
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AT nisreenoasraf patientsperceptionsoftelehealthvideovisitsexperienceinprimaryhealthcaresettingsaudiarabia
AT zahrasalasmari patientsperceptionsoftelehealthvideovisitsexperienceinprimaryhealthcaresettingsaudiarabia