Shardha Harsha K, Kumar Grouve, Kumar Rajesh, Qazi Mansoor A, Munir Saqib, Tariq Waleed, Maheshwari Payal, Kumar Bhavesh, Tahir Muhammad J, Shrateh Oadi N, Ahmed Ali
Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences, Nawabshah.
Gambat Medical College, Pir Abdul Qadir Shah Jeelani Institute of Medical Sciences, Gambat.
Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2024 Jan 10;86(2):726-733. doi: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000001688. eCollection 2024 Feb.
BACKGROUND: Telemedicine has proven to be a boon in the field of medical sciences, as it provides a platform for all health-care personnel to assist patients remotely through digital technology advancements. It brings hope to the lower middle-income regions of the world. Thus, the study was conducted to explore the perceptions regarding telemedicine among healthcare professionals (HCP) in rural Sindh, Pakistan. METHODOLOGY: Overall, 19 in-depth interviews were conducted and this comprised of HCP working in the Pir Abdul Qadir Shah Jeelani Institute of Medical Sciences (PAQSJIMS) and Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women (PUMHSW) being involved in providing online consultations and practicing telemedicine. The interviews were conducted and audio recorded in Sindhi and Urdu and were later transcribed in to English, coded for themes and sub-themes, and were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: The opportunities perceived with the use of telemedicine services were reducing nosocomial infections, facilitating the healthcare in remote areas, handling telemedicine tools, application of telemedicine services on the ground and reducing stress. However, inadequate awareness regarding telemedicine, difficulty in physical examination, the need for training, lack of compliance, and concerns regarding accuracy in diagnosis and treatment were identified as the perceived barriers to the use of telemedicine services. CONCLUSION: HCP had perception toward telemedicine as have numerous opportunities favoring implementation as well as various barriers are needed to overcome to promote the usage of telemedicine. Increased awareness, training programs, and technological advancements are key to overcome these challenges.
背景:远程医疗已被证明是医学领域的一项福音,因为它通过数字技术进步为所有医护人员提供了一个远程协助患者的平台。它给世界中低收入地区带来了希望。因此,开展了这项研究,以探索巴基斯坦信德省农村地区医护人员(HCP)对远程医疗的看法。 方法:总共进行了19次深入访谈,访谈对象包括在皮尔·阿卜杜勒·卡迪尔·沙阿·吉拉尼医学科学研究所(PAQSJIMS)和人民妇女医学与健康科学大学(PUMHSW)工作、参与提供在线咨询和实践远程医疗的医护人员。访谈用信德语和乌尔都语进行并录音,随后转录为英语,编码确定主题和子主题,并采用内容分析法进行分析。 结果:使用远程医疗服务所察觉到的机会包括减少医院感染、便利偏远地区的医疗保健、操作远程医疗工具、在实地应用远程医疗服务以及减轻压力。然而,对远程医疗认识不足、体格检查困难、需要培训、缺乏依从性以及对诊断和治疗准确性的担忧被确定为使用远程医疗服务的感知障碍。 结论:医护人员对远程医疗有看法,认为有众多有利于实施的机会,但也需要克服各种障碍以促进远程医疗的使用。提高认识、开展培训项目和技术进步是克服这些挑战的关键。
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