Telemedicine in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond

Alsaffar, Hussain; Al-Mamari, Watfa; Futaisi, Amna Al

doi:10.18295/squmj.2020.20.04.001

Cited by 7 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…This exceptional development in ICT is an outcome of the Digital Oman Strategy, which has among its objectives the elimination of digital literacy and empowering all members of the society to communicate and interact electronically [75]. In fact, we have started witnessing the cultural acceptance of this transformation in healthcare delivery and the demand to sustain it [10,11]. In 2021, a survey to assess the accessibility and use of information technology and telecommunication showed that the percentage of those who owned smartphones and internet access was almost equal (around 94%) among respondents from different governorates in Oman [76].…”

Section: The Cultural and Environmental Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In many countries, the implementation of restrictive measures that reduced people's social and physical contact and limited their transportation within and between cities to overcome the spread of Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) was the provoking event that led to the wide adoption of telemedicine as a structured healthcare service [6][7][8]. The situation in the Sultanate of Oman was not different [9][10][11][12]. Despite the growing impetus to widely integrate telemedicine in primary healthcare (PHC) facilities, this service -in its various forms -may not be used by all healthcare providers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The usability of telephone-based telemedicine in primary healthcare: A quantitative evaluation and a hypothesized framework of determinants from the physicians’ perspective in Oman

et al. 2023

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Telemedicine has been appreciated as a smart solution to bridge the gaps in the delivery and coverage of healthcare worldwide. With the great impetus to integrate this service into primary healthcare facilities, evaluating its usability should be an ongoing process. This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the usability of telemedicine from the primary healthcare physicians’ perspective in Oman. The evaluation was conducted using a cross-sectional study design. A self-administered online questionnaire was developed and validated as a scale to evaluate the usability of telemedicine as a safe and useful communication channel and outpatient record. Following a pilot study, the questionnaire was distributed to a sample of primary healthcare physicians who ran telemedicine clinics in Oman during 2020-2022. The questionnaire was completed by 143 primary healthcare physicians from different governorates. The total mean scale and subscale scores were computed. In addition, the frequency distribution of responses to each question was presented. The results showed that the total mean scale score of the usability of telemedicine in our clinics was 3.43/5.00. The subscale scores of the usability of telemedicine as a safe and useful service, the usability of telemedicine as a communication channel, and the usability of telemedicine as an outpatient record were 3.42/5.00, 3.23/5.00, and 3.99/5.00, respectively. In conclusion, the current telemedicine service in Oman’s primary healthcare facilities has some usability features, but there is still much room for improvement. With logical reasoning, a framework of potential determinants was inferred and proposed to improve the usability of telemedicine services in the future and comply with the principles of biomedical ethics.

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Section: The Cultural and Environmental Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The usability of telephone-based telemedicine in primary healthcare: A quantitative evaluation and a hypothesized framework of determinants from the physicians’ perspective in Oman

et al. 2023

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“…The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about numerous challenges across various sectors, including the healthcare system. Among the affected fields, the provision of healthcare services has been significantly burdened, necessitating the implementation of tools to ensure continuity and deliver high-quality care to patients despite limitations 1. One area greatly impacted is outpatient services, which have experienced a substantial reduction in face-to-face appointments due to physical distancing measures implemented to curb the spread of the pandemic 1.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Telephone-based telepsychiatry consultations: a qualitative exploration of psychiatrists’ experiences in Oman

Al-Mahrouqi,

Al-Alawi,

Al-Sabahi

et al. 2024

BMJ Open

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ObjectivesThe utilisation of tele-mental health services has the potential to address challenges in mental health services within the Eastern Mediterranean Region. However, the adoption of tele-mental health in Oman remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the experiences of psychiatrists with telephone consultations, offering valuable insights to advance the field of telepsychiatry.DesignThis is a qualitative exploratory study. The analysis of the data involved the application of manifest content analysis.SettingThe semi-structured interviews were conducted with the psychiatrists at Al Masarra Hospital.ParticipantsA total of 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted.ResultsThe study reveals that psychiatrists encounter communication challenges in telephone consultations, such as the absence of visual cues, confirming patient identity, conducting comprehensive assessments and effectively communicating with younger patients who may lack developed social skills or patients with specific health conditions. Infrastructure limitations, such as outdated medical records, lack of electronic prescriptions and limited availability of child/adolescent psychiatric medications, further restrict the effectiveness of telepsychiatry consultations. In contrast, telephone appointments offer convenience and flexibility for psychiatrists, allowing them to manage non-clinical responsibilities and provide focused consultations tailored to individual needs. In addition, it benefits patients by improving appointment adherence, diminishing stigma and financial savings compared with in-person consultations.ConclusionsTele-mental health has emerged as a promising avenue for enhancing mental healthcare services in Oman. Addressing psychiatrists’ challenges is crucial to further developing and strengthening these services.

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“…Examples of telemedicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic include the national-level state health department teleconsultation service initiative, e-sanjeevani, in India [ 3 ], and the locally deployed TELEA telemedicine tool in the Spanish region of Lugo [ 13 ]. Similar tools were used in Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and various countries around the world [ 2 , 17 , 18 ]. Indeed, in a survey of physicians in the Veterans Affairs health-care system in the USA, the majority had not used telemedicine before the pandemic [ 19 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experience with telemedicine amongst rheumatology clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic: an international survey

Chock

Putman

Conway

et al. 2022

Rheumatology Advances in Practice

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Objective To assess rheumatology clinicians’ perceptions of telemedicine as well as their experiences before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional online survey and collected responses from rheumatology clinicians worldwide between November 2020 and February 2021, regarding use and perceptions of telemedicine in rheumatology. We summarized data with descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis for free-text responses. Results The survey was completed by 349 rheumatology clinicians from 49 countries; 59% were female and one-third were 30–50 years old. Academic affiliations were held by 55% of participants and 44% were from North America. Prior to the pandemic, 24% of participants had experience with telemedicine, while about three-quarters used telemedicine for the first time during the pandemic. Overall, 56% thought they provided less adequate care with telemedicine. More than half of clinicians felt that telemedicine was adequate for evaluating crystalline arthritis, inflammatory arthritis, and lupus flares. Telemedicine was felt to be inadequate for flares of myositis, vasculitis, and scleroderma. Technical problems were reported in 29% of telemedicine encounters and were most commonly related to patient-encountered difficulties. Conclusion . Most rheumatology clinicians used telemedicine for the first time during the pandemic. The quality of care provided was thought to be inferior to that provided in-person for specific clinical situations. Additional efforts are needed to address barriers to effective telemedicine such as patient-related technology issues, challenges with building rapport, and performing a physical examination and to define the appropriate scope of clinical scenarios conducive to telemedicine.

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Telemedicine in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond

Abstract: NONE

Cited by 7 publications

References 19 publications

The usability of telephone-based telemedicine in primary healthcare: A quantitative evaluation and a hypothesized framework of determinants from the physicians’ perspective in Oman

The usability of telephone-based telemedicine in primary healthcare: A quantitative evaluation and a hypothesized framework of determinants from the physicians’ perspective in Oman

Telephone-based telepsychiatry consultations: a qualitative exploration of psychiatrists’ experiences in Oman

Experience with telemedicine amongst rheumatology clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic: an international survey

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