Satisfaction and Experiences in Telehealth of The Filipino Patient and Caregiver: A Sequential Explanatory Single-Center Study

Abstract

Introduction: The CoVID-19 pandemic paved a way for telehealth which was then considered as the “new normal”. Generally, satisfaction influences the decision making of users. This study determined patient and caregiver satisfaction and experiences with the use of telehealth services. Methods: A cross-sectional sequential explanatory design was utilized. Patients and caregivers from May to August 2022 at the Department of Internal Medicine in University of Santo Tomas Hospital initially answered the Telemedicine Satisfaction Questionnaire (TSQ), followed by exploring their experiences with telehealth through key informant interviews. A score of > 4 over 5 from the TSQ showed a higher satisfaction score. Pearson R correlation, Spearman Correlation, Fisher-Freeman-Halton Exact Test, and Mann Whitney U test were used in the quantitative phase, while inductive thematic analysis was utilized for the qualitative phase. Results: A total of 182 patients and caregivers participated in the first phase, while 11 respondents were interviewed. There were 146 patients and 36 caregivers with mean age of 41.48 ± 12.7. The TSQ scores ranges from 4.32 to 4.62, and 96.7% of the participants had overall score of >4 over 5. Age and location had significant association with telehealth services. The qualitative phase introduced three themes 1) Telemedicine: Improving Quality of Life in the Digital Age, 2) Limiting Consequences of the Primary Setup Shift in Consultations, and 3) Nuances of Traditional and Modern Health Services. Conclusion: The participants had a high overall satisfaction score which means patients and caregivers has high level of satisfaction leading to advocating the use of telehealth. Personal accounts from the interviews showed that telemedicine improved the overall quality of life of patients and caregivers. Creating a convenient, efficient, economical, safe, and comfortable health care service where actual needs of patients and caregivers are met.