A Cross Sectional Study to Assess the Impact of Telemedicine on Health Care Services in Primary Health Centre, North India

Abstract

Aims: 1) To assess the impact of telemedicine on health care services in the primary health center. 2) To determine patient satisfaction and barriers to telemedicine among the study subjects. Study Design: A cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Urban Health And Training Centre, Delhi National Capital Region from July  2017 to June 2019 Methodology: All the patients attending telemedicine unit after taking their consent were interviewed using a questionnaire that was designed with questions about patient appointments, perceived advantages, disadvantages and barriers to telemedicine along with telehealth satisfaction questionnaire. Results: A total of 390 patients were surveyed. There were 157 male and 233 female respondents with the mean age of 36.18 (±11.26) years In all, 72 % of the study subjects had not previously heard of telemedicine. The most common reasons for willingness to use telemedicine were specialist consultation and commonest barrier to use telemedicine was not user friendly software and not in direct contact with doctor. Of those surveyed, only 20% were willing to use telemedicine, 33% would sometimes be willing, 28% were unsure, and 19% were not willing. There was significant relationship between willingness with age and gender Conclusion: There were constraints in using telemedicine because of software usage and awareness regarding it.