Idriss Sarah, Aldhuhayyan Abdullah, Alanazi Ahmad Abdullah, Alasaadi Walaa, Alharbi Reem, Alshahwan Ghadah, Baitalmal Mohammad, Alonazi Wadi
Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Emergency Medical Services, Saudi Red Crescent Authority, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
JMIR Form Res. 2022 Jul 12;6(7):e36029. doi: 10.2196/36029.
The term "telemedicine" refers to the use of communication technology to deliver health care remotely. The COVID-19 pandemic had substantial impacts on health care delivery from 2020 onward, and it was necessary to adapt high-quality care in a manner that limited the potential for viral exposure of both patients and health care workers. Physicians employed video, phone, and electronic written (e-consultation) visits, all of which provided quality of care comparable to that of face-to-face visits while reducing barriers of adopting telemedicine.
This study sought to assess physicians' perspectives and attitudes regarding the use of telemedicine in Riyadh hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main objects of assessment were as follows: (1) physicians' experience using telemedicine, (2) physicians' willingness to use telemedicine in the future, (3) physicians' perceptions of patient experiences, and (4) the influence of telemedicine on burnout.
This study employed SurveyMonkey to develop and distribute an anonymous 28-question cross-sectional survey among physicians across all specialty disciplines in Riyadh hospitals. A chi-square test was used to determine the level of association between variables, with significance set to P<.05.
The survey was distributed among 500 physicians who experienced telemedicine between October 2021 and December 2021. A total of 362 doctors were included, of whom 28.7% (n=104) were consultants, 30.4% (n=110) were specialists, and 40.9% (n=148) were residents. Male doctors formed the majority 56.1% (n=203), and female doctors accounted for 43.9% (n=159). Overall, 34% (n=228) agreed or somewhat agreed that the "quality of care during telemedicine is comparable with that of face-to-face visits." Approximately 70% (n=254) believed that telemedicine consultation is cost-effective. Regarding burnout, 4.1% (n=15), 7.5% (n=27), and 27.3% (n=99) of the doctors reported feeling burnout every day, a few times a week, and a few times per month, respectively.
The physicians had generally favorable attitudes toward telemedicine, believing that its quality of health care delivery is comparable to that of in-person care. However, further research is necessary to determine how physicians' attitudes toward telemedicine have changed since the pandemic and how this virtual technology can be used to improve physicians' professional and personal well-being.
“远程医疗”一词是指利用通信技术远程提供医疗服务。2020年起，新冠疫情对医疗服务产生了重大影响，因此有必要以一种限制患者和医护人员病毒暴露可能性的方式来提供高质量医疗服务。医生采用了视频、电话和电子书面（电子会诊）问诊方式，所有这些方式在提供与面对面问诊相当的医疗服务质量的同时，减少了采用远程医疗的障碍。
本研究旨在评估新冠疫情期间利雅得医院医生对使用远程医疗的看法和态度。评估的主要内容如下：（1）医生使用远程医疗的经验；（2）医生未来使用远程医疗的意愿；（3）医生对患者体验的看法；（4）远程医疗对职业倦怠的影响。
本研究使用SurveyMonkey开发并向利雅得医院所有专业学科的医生发放了一份包含28个问题的匿名横断面调查问卷。采用卡方检验确定变量之间的关联程度，显著性设定为P<0.05。
该调查问卷发放给了2021年10月至2021年12月期间有远程医疗经验的500名医生。共纳入362名医生，其中28.7%（n=104）为顾问医生，30.4%（n=110）为专科医生，40.9%（n=148）为住院医生。男医生占多数，为56.1%（n=203），女医生占43.9%（n=159）。总体而言，34%（n=228）的医生同意或 somewhat同意“远程医疗期间的医疗服务质量与面对面问诊相当”。约70%（n=254）的医生认为远程医疗会诊具有成本效益。关于职业倦怠，分别有4.1%（n=15）、7.5%（n=27）和27.3%（n=99）的医生报告每天、每周几次和每月几次感到职业倦怠。
医生对远程医疗总体持积极态度，认为其提供的医疗服务质量与面对面医疗服务相当。然而，有必要进一步研究以确定自疫情以来医生对远程医疗的态度发生了怎样的变化，以及这种虚拟技术如何用于改善医生的职业和个人幸福感。
