Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association
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Purpose: This study sought to determine whether the necessitated use of telemedicine due to coronavirus disease 2019, and limited choice of both the provider and patient, impacts the perceptions of telemedicine by patients who experienced telemedicine prepandemic and those who first experienced telemedicine during the pandemic. Methodology: Participants for this survey were a convenience sample. An invitation to participate was shared through social media and e-mail listservs. To participate, individuals had to be at least 18 years of age and gave consent to their data being used. ⋯ There were no significant differences in demographics between groups, except that new users were more likely to have a primary care physician [F(407) = 13.51, p < 0.001]. Satisfaction of telemedicine was measured using a 10-item scale, demonstrating that all participants were overall satisfied with their telemedicine experience(s), (mean = 1.67, standard deviation = 0.61). Broadly, the differences in perceptions between the groups included the reasons for using telemedicine, perceptions of quality of in-person care, continuity of care, and a technical issue. Conclusions: Overall, patients are satisfied using telemedicine, however, for new users, both providers and patients, some acclimation needs to occur.
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Background: The (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in sudden disruption of routine clinical care necessitating rapid transformation to maintain clinical care while safely reducing virus contagion. Introduction: Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) experienced a rapid evolution from delivery of in-person cessation counseling services to virtual telehealth treatments for our tobacco-dependent cancer patients. Aim: To examine the effect of rapid scaling of tobacco treatment telehealth on patient engagement, as measured by attendance rates for in-person counseling visits versus remote telehealth counseling visits. ⋯ Discussion: Clinical, Information Technology (IT), and hospital system barriers were successfully addressed for most cancer patients seeking individual telehealth treatment. Group telehealth services were found to be feasible and acceptable. Conclusions: MSK's rapid leap into virtual care delivery mitigated disruption of tobacco treatment services and demonstrated strong feasibility and acceptance for managing complex tobacco-dependent patients.
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Background: Rural hospitals struggle to staff inpatient services and may not have the clinical expertise to achieve optimal outcomes. Telehospitalist services could address these problems by bringing hospital medicine expertise to rural communities. Introduction: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) rural hospitals need staffing alternatives to address gaps in inpatient coverage. ⋯ Administrators were enthusiastic about applying innovative inpatient telemedicine initiatives, but perceived staff reluctance. The dynamic and multidisciplinary nature of inpatient care requires program acceptance at multiple levels, which may account for why it traditionally lags behind outpatient telemedicine. Conclusions: Rural hospital physician administrators perceived telehospitalist models as a viable option to address staffing needs and improve quality of care.