Does telemedicine really work when it comes to gynecology?

Does telemedicine really work when it comes to gynecology? © rh2010-stock.adobe.com

The COVID-19 pandemic revolutionized health care in a number of ways, from unprecedented rapid delivery of vaccines to market to an explosion in the use of telemedicine for patient-clinician visits. Telemedicine became essential during the pandemic, in order to continue delivery of important health services, and today is still being used on a regular basis. And, while the efficacy of telemedicine has been studied in a number of disciplines, there is little data on patient satisfaction in telehealth visits with regards to gynecology.

Lead investigator Sue Junn, BS, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, together with Andrea Desai, MD, assistant professor, maternal fetal medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and several other researchers, evaluated how telemedicine impacts patients in regards to adherence and satisfaction during a gynecologic visit.

The researchers conducted a retrospective review of 1170 patients who participated in telemedicine visits as well as 5303 patients who visited their practitioners in person between March 1, 2020, and December 1, 2021. Investigators evaluated demographic info, the chief reason for the visit, and attendance. A cross-sectional survey of 1248 patients who participated in the telemedicine visits was used to evaluate patient satisfaction, access, quality, safety, and convenience.

Results proved to be significantly disparate: There was an average no-show rate of 22% for in-person visits, as opposed to a 2% no-show rate for telemedicine patients. Additionally, 69% of survey respondents reported satisfaction with telehealth visits.

Investigators concluded that these higher percentage rates for telehealth visits may reflect patients’ satisfaction with convenience, time-efficiency, and a less disruptive day overall.

Reference

Junn S, Desai A, Hurvitz J, Lahti E.Assessing the impact of telemedicine implementation on patient satisfaction with and adherence to gynecologic appointments. 2023 ACOG Annual Clinical & Scientific Meeting. May 19-21. Baltimore, Maryland.