Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.
Telemed J E Health. 2022 Sep;28(9):1293-1299. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0486. Epub 2022 Jan 10.
Many clinicians and patients tried telemedicine for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a prior survey, we found that clinicians who were adaptable and willing to incorporate technology into their clinical practice are more likely to utilize telemedicine. Seeking factors associated with current and future use of telemedicine, and identifying its relative advantages and drawbacks, may help determine the role of telemedicine after the pandemic. We asked (1) which demographic factors and personal preferences are associated with current and planned future use of telemedicine, (2) what factors are associated with telemedicine utilization, and (3) what are clinician-reported advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine? Approximately 750 clinicians within a national multispecialty hospital group were invited to complete an online survey assessing telemedicine use and preferences, self-reported technology proficiency, and personal characteristics. A total of 284 clinicians started the survey, and 259 complete responses were analyzed using bivariate analysis and multivariable regression. More frequent current telemedicine use was associated with being a nonsurgeon clinician, not primarily practicing in an inpatient setting, preferring either telemedicine or having no preference for discussing sensitive topics, and greater self-reported technological proficiency. Planned future telemedicine use was associated with greater self-reported troubleshoot ability and less desire for a hands-on physical examination. Clinicians reported that the top benefits of telemedicine are decreased barriers for patients and convenience for clinicians, and disadvantages are technical difficulties for both patients and clinicians. Telemedicine continues to be widely utilized by clinicians, particularly those who are confident in their ability to examine patients over video, and who can troubleshoot issues that arise on the platform. With continued reimbursement, telemedicine is likely to remain a convenient and effective method of caring for patients.
许多临床医生和患者在 COVID-19 大流行期间首次尝试远程医疗。在之前的一项调查中，我们发现那些适应能力强且愿意将技术融入临床实践的临床医生更有可能使用远程医疗。寻找与当前和未来使用远程医疗相关的因素，并确定其相对优势和劣势，可能有助于确定大流行后远程医疗的作用。我们询问了以下三个问题：（1）哪些人口统计学因素和个人偏好与当前和计划未来使用远程医疗有关，（2）哪些因素与远程医疗的使用有关，（3）临床医生报告的远程医疗的优缺点有哪些？一家全国性多专科医院集团邀请了大约 750 名临床医生完成一项在线调查，评估远程医疗的使用和偏好、自我报告的技术熟练程度和个人特征。共有 284 名临床医生开始了调查，对 259 名完成的回复进行了双变量分析和多变量回归分析。当前更频繁使用远程医疗与非外科医生临床医生、主要不在住院环境中执业、更倾向于远程医疗或对讨论敏感话题没有偏好以及自我报告的技术熟练程度较高有关。计划未来使用远程医疗与自我报告的解决问题能力较强和对体格检查的需求较低有关。临床医生报告远程医疗的主要好处是减少了患者的障碍和临床医生的便利，缺点是患者和临床医生都存在技术困难。远程医疗继续被临床医生广泛使用，尤其是那些对通过视频检查患者有信心且能够解决平台上出现问题的临床医生。随着持续的报销，远程医疗可能仍然是一种方便有效的治疗患者的方法。
