Virtual clinics for glaucoma care - Patients' and clinicians' experiences and perceptions: a qualitative evaluation

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Glaucoma virtual clinics are increasingly used to manage high demand in eye services.
• Limited research exists on patient and clinician experiences within these virtual clinics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patient and clinician experiences and perceptions of glaucoma virtual clinics.
• To gather insights for improving patient experience and guiding service delivery in virtual glaucoma care.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was utilized, including patient satisfaction surveys and interviews.
• Participants included consultant ophthalmologists, clinical staff, and patients from two UK eye hospitals.

Main Results:

• 148 patient satisfaction questionnaires showed high confidence (94.8-98.8%) and willingness to recommend (92.6-94.8%).
• Interviews with 40 participants revealed key themes: patient experience, clinician perceptions, service delivery, staffing, and patient safety.
• High patient satisfaction was noted across varied glaucoma complexity.

Conclusions:

• Glaucoma virtual clinics are acceptable to both patients and clinicians, regardless of disease complexity.
• Dissatisfaction in virtual glaucoma services is primarily linked to communication and system inefficiencies, not the nature of the disease.