77% of Infectious Disease Patients Open to Telehealth

Most infectious disease (ID) patients were open to using virtual care after they were informed about the toll in-person care took in terms of time, money, and travel, according to a survey conducted by Washington University and published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.

Although patients are typically accustomed to the setting in which they receive care, information provided about virtual care can change their perspective, the new research shows.

The survey polled patients 18 years old and older who reside 25 or more miles away from their ID clinic. The goal was to acquire information regarding travel distance and time, money spent, and carbon dioxide emissions.

The analyzed data and survey responses included feedback given by 75 patients. Researchers found that the mean travel distance was 227.2 miles, which took an average of 3.6 to 4.5 hours to traverse. The mean travel expenditures were $131.34, with 91.79 kg of carbon dioxide emissions.

After being given this information, about 77 percent of patients said they would be willing to have a telemedicine visit in the future.

In order to gauge a better understanding of participants’ willingness to use telehealth, researchers asked several open-ended questions. The first question asked the patient to explain their preference, the second invited any questions relating to telehealth, and the third asked for the factors that may potentially trigger hesitancy.

Overall, the recurring factors among those who did not want to use telehealth were concerns about building relationships, lack of resources, and use of technology.

Conversely, patients that were interested in telehealth found that their willingness derived from feelings of convenience and ease.

The researchers also noticed a strong correlation between time and money, and telehealth interest level. As travel expenses and time rose, so did the willingness to participate in virtual care.

But, this did not influence certain patients’ desire to travel to the clinic as they found greater satisfaction with in-person care.

The study does have some limitations, including the fact that the survey only included 75 respondents, and the possibility that many had not participated in telehealth previously.

Nonetheless, the option of telemedicine alongside in-person care within ID clinics appears to spark interest for patients, the researchers concluded.

A recent study came to a similar conclusion, showing that due to subjective needs among patients, having both the option of in-person as well as virtual care could be beneficial. Following utilization of the hybrid care setting, patient feedback relating to comfort levels and needs met fell between 87 and 94 percent.