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Exploring parental experiences of virtual paediatric neurodevelopmental consultations
Rebecca Finnegan1, Aoife Flynn2, Orla Flanagan2
1Department of Paediatrics, Galway University Hospital, Galway, Ireland. Rebeccafinnegan2@icloud.com.
Irish Journal of Medical Science
|March 23, 2021
Summary
Parents reported high satisfaction with virtual consultations for neurodevelopmental services. A combined virtual and in-person approach is preferred for future care, enhancing convenience and accessibility.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric healthcare
- Telemedicine
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid shifts in healthcare delivery, particularly for specialized services like neurodevelopmental clinics.
- Virtual consultations emerged as a critical adaptation to maintain patient care during the pandemic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess parental experiences and satisfaction with virtual consultations for children in a neurodevelopmental service.
- To understand preferences for future service delivery models post-pandemic.
Main Methods:
- Anonymous questionnaires were distributed to parents of children utilizing virtual clinics over a 10-week period.
- Data collection focused on satisfaction levels with both previous in-person and current virtual appointments.
Main Results:
- Thirty parental questionnaires were completed, indicating high satisfaction with virtual consultations (8.2/10), matching satisfaction with prior face-to-face appointments.
- Key aspects of virtual consultations received very positive feedback.
- 77% of parents expressed a preference for a hybrid model combining virtual and face-to-face consultations in the future.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms significant parental satisfaction with the transition to virtual clinics, despite initial challenges.
- While virtual consultations offer convenience and accessibility, they do not fully replace the benefits of in-person, holistic assessments.
- An integrated outpatient model incorporating both virtual and face-to-face consultations has been developed to optimize patient satisfaction and meet evolving needs.
