Open Access

ARTICLE

Insight to urology patients’ preferences regarding telemedicine

Elizabeth Ellis¹, Lauren Gochenaur¹, Helena Temkin-Greener², Jean Joseph¹, Divya Ajay¹

1 University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
2 University of Rochester Department of Public Health Sciences, Rochester New York, USA
Address correspondence to Dr. Elizabeth Ellis, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 656, Rochester NY, 14620 USA

Canadian Journal of Urology 2023, 30(1), 11438-11444.

Abstract

Introduction: Due to COVID-19, telemedicine has become a common method of healthcare delivery. Our goal was to evaluate urology patients’ satisfaction with telemedicine, examine patient preferences, and identify opportunities for improvement in readiness, access, and quality of care.
Materials and methods: A total of 285 adult urology patients who completed at least one telemedicine visit from September to December 2020 were eligible. A paper survey was disseminated by postal mail with an option to complete electronically. Those who returned completed surveys received a $15 gift card.
Results: Seventy-six subjects completed the survey (response rate of 27%). The most common age bracket of the respondents was 70-79 years (37%). Readiness – To prepare, many subjects (49%) read the provided instructions. Most (91%) thought they were adequately prepared. A majority (82%) were satisfied with the ease of set up.
Access – Types of visits included established patients (71%), new patient visits (17%), and postoperative visits (9%). Most respondents (84%) did not have difficulty accessing the visit.
Quality of care – All respondents were satisfied with the length of visit, and 90% were satisfied with the overall experience.
Patient preferences – Compared to office visits, most patients found telemedicine equal or superior in several areas. Preference to utilize telemedicine in the future was dependent on the nature of the complaint, length of their drive and their schedule.
Conclusions: Patients reported high levels of satisfaction and a willingness to engage with telemedicine visits. To minimize future technical disruptions, we offer mock telehealth visits before their scheduled appointment and improved our clinicians’ work flow.

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Keywords

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