Preferences and acceptability of telemedicine in Belgian IBD patients

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), in particular Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are chronic conditions that have a considerable impact on patients' quality of life and healthcare resources, as they require frequent visits and hospitalisations. Telemedicine offers a potential advantage by enabling remote healthcare. Studies have shown that telemedicine can improve quality of life and reduce healthcare use, although results vary depending on study design and location. Our study investigates the views of French-speaking Belgian IBD patients on telemedicine. It aims to assess acceptability and preferences to guide future implementation.

We designed a questionnaire available online (between October 2023 and June 2024) for which any patient with IBD followed up in an adult gastroenterology consultation was eligible. The 69-item questionnaire was validated by test patients and distributed via Epic®, social media and printed forms. Data were collected using REDCap® and analyzed using SPSS®, applying univariate and multivariate analyses to identify factors influencing acceptance of telemedicine.

257 respondents validated their questionnaire. The majority were women (54%) with an average age of 45 years [17-85]. Most patients had Crohn's disease (63%) and were using immunosuppressive therapy (44%) and/or biologics (30%), with a high compliance rate (98%). Although 68% had discovered telemedicine because of our survey, 82% were interested in remote consultations, citing time savings and reduced absence from work as advantages, while expressing concerns about reduced personal contact and technical problems. Acceptance was significantly associated with time saved and frequency of visits (p<0.05).

Our study reveals strong acceptance of telemedicine, regardless of previous experience, with a preference for video over telephone consultations. It also demonstrates openness to follow-up without direct human contact (e.g., application-based tools), although concerns remain about the potential loss of personal interaction. The results underline the importance of addressing patient concerns and ensuring a solid human and technical infrastructure for the expansion of telemedicine.