Evaluation of Telemedicine Consultations Using Health Outcomes and User Attitudes and Experiences: Scoping Review (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND While virtual consultations have experienced a rise in adoption in recent years, retention remains challenging and aspects around the associated experiences and outcomes remain unclear. OBJECTIVE The need to further investigate those aspects were motivating factors for conducting a scoping review with a focus on synchronous virtual consultations for non-malignant chronic illnesses, and the associated health outcomes, attitudes and potentials for technological improvements. METHODS The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guided the scoping review process. An inclusion criteria based on the Population, Concept and Context (PCC) framework was designed. A search strategy, informed by the PCC framework, was applied to PubMed (including MEDLINE), CINAHL Complete, APA PsycNet, Web of Science, IEEE and ACM Digital. Screening of articles and data extraction of included articles were performed in parallel and independently by two researchers who corroborated their findings and resolved any conflicts. RESULTS 4,167 unique articles were identified from the databases searched. Following multi-layer filtration, 19 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and relevant data were extracted from their full texts. CONCLUSIONS For patients with non-communicable chronic conditions, virtual consultations are generally associated with positive health outcomes that are either directly or indirectly related to their ailment; but sustained improvements remain unclear. These modalities also indicate the potential to empower such patients to better manage their condition. HCPs and patients tend to be satisfied with remote care experience and most are receptive to the modality as an option. Assistance from supplemental technologies mostly reside in addressing technical issues and additional modules could be integrated to address challenges relevant to patients and HCPs. However, positive outcomes and attitudes towards the modality might not apply to all cases, indicating that virtual consultations are more appropriate as options rather than replacements of in-person visits.