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Telemedicine Usability and Satisfaction among Pediatric Rheumatology Patients and their Caregivers during COVID-19
Dianne Marie D Legaspi1, Cherica A Tee1, Leonila F Dans1
1Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila.
Insights
Pediatric rheumatology patients and caregivers reported high satisfaction with telemedicine. Virtual visits proved useful and reliable, suggesting telemedicine as a viable option for future ambulatory care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Health Informatics
- Telehealth
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telemedicine in healthcare settings.
- This study explored the utility and patient acceptance of virtual visits in pediatric rheumatology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the usability and satisfaction levels of telemedicine among pediatric rheumatology patients and their caregivers.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of virtual consultations in a tertiary care setting.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional online survey was administered to patients and caregivers at a pediatric rheumatology clinic.
- The Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ) and socio-demographic data were collected.
- Participants included 39 patients and 31 primary caregivers.
Main Results:
- Both patients and caregivers reported high overall satisfaction with telemedicine, with average scores above 5.9 on a usability scale.
- Usefulness emerged as the highest-rated aspect of telemedicine for both groups.
- Reliability received the lowest, though still favorable, mean scores.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric rheumatology patients and their caregivers generally express high satisfaction with telemedicine services.
- Telemedicine demonstrates potential as a sustainable model for ambulatory care in pediatric rheumatology post-pandemic.
Background:
The 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic opened an opportunity to explore the role of telemedicine in pediatric rheumatology clinic as well as patient satisfaction with virtual visits.
Objective:
To determine the usability and satisfaction rate of telemedicine among pediatric rheumatology patients and their caregivers.
Method:
A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among patients and caregivers consulting via telemedicine at a pediatric rheumatology clinic of University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital (UP - PGH), a tertiary government hospital. Collected data included socio-demographics and the validated Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ).
Results:
There were 39 (55.7%) patients and 31 (44.3%) primary caregivers included in the study. Across all usability factors, the response of primary caregivers did not significantly differ from those of patients. The average scores across all questions for both patients and primary caregivers were 5.96±1.19 and 6.04±1.34, respectively. This showed a high level of agreement that they were highly satisfied with telemedicine experience. Among the different usability factors, questions related to usefulness obtained the highest mean score for both patients (6.11±1.17) and primary caregivers (6.12±1.38). While the lowest mean score was observed on questions related to reliability, 5.65±1.33 for patients and 5.89±1.31 for primary caregivers.
Conclusion:
Pediatric rheumatology patients as well as their caregivers are generally highly satisfied with telemedicine during this time of pandemic. With high patient and caregiver satisfaction, telemedicine could be an option for ambulatory patient care even after pandemic.
