Awareness and Attitudes of Al Ahsa's Community toward Virtual Clinics

Abstract

Background: Outpatient clinics pose a risk of infection transmission to patients. Patients can access their care without this risk through virtual consultations or virtual clinics. In addition to providing a positive benefit to medical patients who are at risk, telemedicine is also an economic and time saver for primary care users, particularly patients with chronic diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate the awareness, experiences, and attitudes of Al Ahsa community about virtual clinics and their services. Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, with convenience sampling. The data was collected in November 2021. A self-administered, predesigned, and validated electronic questionnaire was used in the study. Results: Among a total of 463 majorities of participants 360 (77.8%) were aged more than 40 years. A total of 286 (61.8%) participants were aware of the presence of virtual clinics and telemedicine. Only 137 (29.6%) participants used virtual clinics. In relation to the attitude of the participants, the majority of the participants (294) had a positive feeling toward virtual clinics. In order to analyze the relation between the attitude, and other factors, there is a significant correlation between the educational level and attitude toward using virtual clinics among the participants. Also, there is a positive correlation between the presence of chronic disease and the positive attitude to use virtual clinics. Conclusion: Public awareness and understanding of the potential benefits of telehealth or telemedicine are needed for telehealth initiatives to succeed. According to the study, A majority of participants were aware of virtual clinics and telemedicine. Moreover, the patients' attitudes towards using the virtual clinics were positive.