Patient Perceptions of Acute Care Telemedicine: A Pilot Investigation

This investigation focuses on the patient perceptions of the interaction that occurs during acute telemedical care in an emergency department and the effectiveness of this technology. Data indicate 95% of the patients were seen by a specialist within 15 minutes of arriving at the emergency room and fewer than 12% reported experiencing a technical problem (n = 150). Further, 80% of the patients indicated that they were satisfied with level of concern communicated to them by the specialist and 80% were satisfied with the explanation of their medical condition. Finally, 80% of the patients believed the use of telemedicine was a positive factor in the diagnostic process and 80% were reported being satisfied with their overall treatment.