• Nithesh Naik, Sufyan Ibrahim, Sumedha Sircar, Vathsala Patil, Belthangady Monu Zeeshan Hameed, Bhavan Prasad Rai, Piotr Chłosta, and Bhaskar K Somani.
• Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
• Ir J Med Sci. 2022 Aug 1; 191 (4): 1505-1512.

BackgroundAsia is home to a burgeoning market for telemedicine with the availability of cheaper smartphones and internet services. Due to a rise in telemedicine use by doctors and patients, it is imperative to understand the perception of patients towards the adoption of telemedicine, the availability of telemedicine to the general population, the frequency with which patients avail these services, and the motivation or apprehensions in using them, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.AimsThe study is performed to understand the behavioral attitude and perceptions of the population regarding telemedicine and, in doing so, make services more user-friendly for patients.MethodsA total of 1170 participants were surveyed using a structured online questionnaire to assess the perceptions towards the adoption of telemedicine in healthcare delivery services. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify key variables of knowledge and attitude affecting the utilization of telemedicine.ResultsOf the total respondents, 35.3% of patients never encountered telemedicine before and 26.9% did not come across telemedicine even during the COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionUnderstanding the perceptions of patients, using targeted health education, positive communication, and behavioral modifications, is the key factor to be addressed to mitigate the apprehensions towards telemedicine and improve the utilization of the services.© 2021. The Author(s).

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