Acceptance of Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Acceptance of Telemedicine in Outpatient Clinic Consultations During COVID-19 Pandemic. An International, Cross-sectional Study

Currently, due to the effects of COVID-19 pandemic, there is an imperative need to change the healthcare model. In this regard, telemedicine has proved very useful in health crises, in which there is a possibility of infection between people, offering remote access to medical care. Telemedicine has been used in many chronic diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and appears to be well accepted by patients. However, few studies have been conducted in surgical services and in other diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the level of acceptance of the patients, in this pandemic situation, to a telemedicine follow-up in different departments.

This is an observational, cross-sectional, multicenter and international study with prospective and retrospective data collection. To evaluate patients' acceptance, we used the validated questionnaire Telehealth usability questionnaire (TUQ). In addition, all patients will provide an overall satisfaction score for telemedicine on a scale from 1 to 5 (1=lowest; 5=highest satisfaction).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients contacted by telemedicine (phone and/or video call) during the COVID-19 pandemic in outpatient clinics
• Follow-up of patients with any chronic disease and postoperative patients, preoperative and urgent consultation
• Age greater than or equal to 18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with cognitive or sensory difficulties or with insufficient comprehension of the language in which the survey is conducted
• Patients who decline to take part in the telephone survey