Common Technology Issues Encountered in Telemedicine Standardized Patient Encounters and their Prevention

Abstract

Context: With the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic accelerating the use of telemedicine platforms across the country, many medical education programs may be turning to new methods to incorporate telemedicine into their curricula. With the introduction of new methodologies, there are expected to be technical issues encountered as well.

Objective: Evaluate the most encountered technology issues present with utilization of a telemedicine platform for medical students standardized patient encounters, as well as the impact issues may have on the encounter.

Methods: First- and second-year medical students recruited from all four Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine campuses were surveyed on technology issues encountered in their telemedicine patient encounters. The frequency of issues reported were evaluated, and the impact of any experienced issues on the encounter was assessed with a 5-point Likert scale.

Results: The most reported technology issue was difficulty with the augmented reality/avatar software by 24.6% of students. Other issues reported include audio/sound, camera/video, and internet/connection issues. Importantly, the majority of students (59.5%) reported no issues were present during their encounter. Most students strongly disagreed (50.7%) or somewhat disagreed (13.6%) with the statement that technology issues experienced affected their encounter.

Conclusion: The pandemic has fueled change in the delivery of healthcare, with a significant shift towards telemedicine. Medical students must receive adequate training to utilize this technology in their future practice. As medical schools consider the addition of telemedicine to curriculum, this study serves to highlight and troubleshoot some of the most commonly anticipated issues that may be encountered upon initiation of a new program.

Keywords: Standardized Patient, Technology, Telemedicine, Virtual, Medical Education