Hospital Based Specialists' Perspectives of Teleconsultation Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Purpose: Teleconsultation has been widely utilised during the COVID-19 pandemic. It allows clinicians to provide healthcare to patients despite social distance restrictions. The purpose of this study is to investigate its safety and limitations in different specialties and the possibility of incorporating telemedicine into future practice. 

Methods: This was a qualitative study that involved 151 hospital based specialists in New Zealand. An electronic questionnaire was sent to all specialists via email addresses. These questions consisted of participant demography and their experience of using teleconsultation during the pandemic. The safety and suitability of teleconsultation were assessed with the perceived time efficiency, data security concerns, missed clinical information and specialist’s ability to see these patients. 

Results: This study found that 92.7% of hospital based specialists used teleconsultation during the pandemic. More specialists reported the efficiency was similar or greater with teleconsultation and most patients could be seen via teleconsultation appointments. Limitations identified with teleconsultations were mainly due to poor physical examination and difficulty in identifying non-verbal cues. There is a general preference for physical consultation. Nevertheless doctors are willing to use teleconsultation in their future practice, especially in non-procedural specialties. 

Conclusion: Teleconsultation is used widely across many specialties during the pandemic. Despite limitations identified with teleconsultations and preference for physical consultation, doctors are prepared to provide teleconsultations in the future beyond the pandemic. In appropriately selected patients, especially in non-procedural specialties, teleconsultation will have an increasing role in healthcare.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest identified.

This study was approved by University of Otago Human Ethics Committee, New Zealand. Approval number 20/057.

Keywords: telemedicine, teleconsultation appointment, questionnaire, cross-sectional, COVID-19