Perception of telemedicine by physicians as mode of consultation during COVID-19 pandemic /

Perception of telemedicine by physicians as mode of consultation during COVID-19 pandemic / Adao, Bathan, Bello, Bernal, Bumagat, Caranguian, Catolico, Ceñidoza, Custodio, C. De Guzman, M. De Guzman, Del Rosario, Dumaya, Dychinco, Faderugao, Fajardo, Garcia, Hernandez, Llamas, Losbañes and Flores. - Fairview, Quezon City: Department of Community and Family Medicine, FEU-NRMF, 2020. - 33 pages: tables; 28 cm.

Includes appendices and bibliographical references.

Abstract: As the world started facing pandemic brought by COVID-19, different innovations were implemented to continuously provide and deliver healthcare services to the Filipino people. Telemedicine allows patients to seek consultation for medical problems without the risk of exposure that comes with leaving the house to visit the doctor. This study aims to establish physician perception on the use of Telemedicine as an alternative mode of consultation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Descriptive, purposive, cross-sectional study was conducted. Respondents were physicians from public or private institutions in Luzon. A survey questionnaire was sent through email and social media platforms, consent was secured and responses were collected. A total of 69 physicians participated. Results showed that most of the respondents started using telemedicine only after the pandemic began. Majority were from the National Capital Region (NCR) and are affiliated with a private clinic. The ages ranged from 31-40 and 51-60 years old. Social networking sites, such as Facebook Messenger and Viber, were the most commonly utilized telemedicine platform. Participants perceived the use of telemedicine as easy and navigate (n=65) and appropriate during this pandemic (n=68). With regards to cost-effectiveness, most of the participants perceived telemedicine as cost-effective in terms of fees for services and expenses. Advantages that were perceived were provision of access to remote or rural patients (n=61) and improved patient convenience (n=63). While challenges that were perceived were the technological problems (n=69), limitations in assessing the patient's condition (n=68), and there were security risks in terms of the patient's medical information (n=68). Majority of the physician-respondents were private practitioners from NCR. Most perceived the use of telemedicine as easy and cost-effective during the pandemic. Telemedicine also provided access to medical care in remote areas, aside from the safety and convenience provided as consultations were done in protected cofines of the home. However, there were also received downsides to the use of telemedicine-particularly, internet connectivity problems and the possible security risks of patient's medical information.

Thesis - Department of Community & Family Medicine


telemedicine
physicians
COVID-19
perception

M CFM 2020 0029