The Implementation of Telemedicine in the Covid-19 Era

Rebecca J. Bell, K. Badger, K. Barton, Michaela Kohut, Michael Clark
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引用次数: 1

Abstract

Introduction: During the COVID-19 global pandemic in 2020, social distancing policies called for health care providers to turn to telemedicine platforms for most of their patient encounters. We aimed to better understand the experiences and perspectives of patients and providers who used telemedicine in the primary care setting. Methods: This study included semi-structured interviews with patients and providers who participated in telemedicine visits during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients (n = 14) were from a rural Maine practice and providers (n = 10) were from practices within 100 miles of a tertiary care center. The interviews were analyzed through inductive coding and applying the constant comparative method. Results: Both patients and providers expressed general satisfaction with their telemedicine experiences. Patients (64%) and providers (90%) felt “comfortable” with telemedicine. They praised telemedicine for its convenience and recognized the benefit of having a telemedicine option in the future. However, there was a mixed response regarding perceived efficacy of telemedicine and the ability to emotionally connect over virtual platforms. Finally, the participants in this study discussed dissatisfaction with the loss of the “ritual of medicine.” Discussion: The COVID-19 pandemic posed barriers to health care that parallel existing barriers in rural states. For much of this rural population, the rapid implementation of telemedicine enabled easier access to care. However, the implementation also saw many technological and infrastructural roadblocks. Conclusions: Understanding the benefits and challenges of telemedicine for patients and providers will be critical in assuring that telemedicine continues to improve access to health care.
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新冠肺炎时代远程医疗的实施
简介:在2020年新冠肺炎全球大流行期间,保持社交距离的政策要求医疗保健提供者在与患者的大部分接触中转向远程医疗平台。我们旨在更好地了解在初级保健环境中使用远程医疗的患者和提供者的经验和观点。方法:本研究包括对新冠肺炎大流行开始时参与远程医疗访问的患者和提供者的半结构化访谈。患者(n=14)来自缅因州的一家农村诊所,提供者(n=10)来自距离三级护理中心100英里以内的诊所。访谈采用归纳编码法和常量比较法进行分析。结果:患者和提供者都对他们的远程医疗体验表示普遍满意。患者(64%)和提供者(90%)对远程医疗感到“舒适”。他们称赞远程医疗的便利性,并认识到未来拥有远程医疗选项的好处。然而,对于远程医疗的感知效果和通过虚拟平台进行情感连接的能力,人们的反应喜忧参半。最后,这项研究的参与者讨论了对失去“医学仪式”的不满。讨论:新冠肺炎大流行对医疗保健造成了障碍,与农村州现有的障碍相类似。对于大部分农村人口来说,远程医疗的快速实施使他们更容易获得护理。然而,在实施过程中也遇到了许多技术和基础设施方面的障碍。结论:了解远程医疗对患者和提供者的好处和挑战对于确保远程医疗继续改善获得医疗保健的机会至关重要。
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