Acceptability and willingness to pay for primary care videoconferencing: a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Medicine
• Health Informatics
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Videoconferencing is an emerging tool in healthcare delivery.
• Evaluating patient and clinician experiences with virtual visits is crucial for adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare patient and physician satisfaction with videoconferencing versus traditional face-to-face visits in primary care.
• To assess factors influencing patient willingness to pay for videoconferencing services.

Main Methods:

• A randomized study involving 4 physicians and 175 primary care patients.
• Patients experienced both face-to-face and virtual consultations.
• Surveys assessed satisfaction and willingness to pay (WTP) post-visit.

Main Results:

• Both patients and physicians reported high satisfaction with videoconferencing but preferred in-person visits.
• Physical examination and ordering lab tests were least satisfying aspects of virtual visits.
• Patients with musculoskeletal and respiratory complaints showed higher WTP for videoconferencing, unaffected by travel costs/time.

Conclusions:

• Videoconferencing is suitable for short, simple primary care visits, especially for non-rural, mobile patients.
• While generally satisfactory, limitations in physical examination and diagnostic capabilities need addressing.
• Patient willingness to pay for telemedicine varies by complaint, indicating potential for targeted virtual care services.