Knowledge Of Telemedicine Research Articles

Towards implementing telemedicine in Tunisia: A knowledge, attitude and practice study among medical doctors.

Background: The use of information and communication technology such as telemedicine occupies nowadays a huge place in modern medicine practice all over the world, mainly after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, its implementation in Tunisia and other developing countries has achieved little success with low utilization and can be challenging for several reasons. In this study, our aim was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practice of Tunisian medical doctors regarding telemedicine. Methods: This was a cross-sectional web survey, administered to medical doctors in Tunisia in October 2022. Respondents' level of knowledge of telemedicine was assessed by calculating a knowledge score (0 to 12). Attitude subsections were about perceived telemedicine attributes of relative advantage, compatibility, trial ability and complexity. Results: A total of 243 participants were included. The mean age was 45 ± 9.6 years old, and 57.2% were female, with a mean of 14.3 ± 10.3 years of professional experience. The majority (95.9%) had an average or high level of computer skills. More than half (59.3%) had a poor level of telemedicine knowledge. A good level of knowledge was significantly associated with age category over 50 years (p = 0.02) and with years of experience over 10 (p = 0.03). The majority (89.3%) had a moderate or high score about perceived advantages. The majority (88.5%) accepted use of telemedicine in their future practice. Almost half (46.9%) had practiced telemedicine activities before using a mobile phone (91%) or social media (64%). The principal limitations of applying telemedicine were challenges of organization and implementation, and incomplete patient examination. Conclusions: Although Tunisian doctors' knowledge and practice of telemedicine were unsatisfactory, their positive attitude and willingness to try it in their future practice were encouraging. There is an urgent need for implementing telemedicine in Tunisia to improve health care coverage in some unprivileged areas.

Identification of Motivational Determinants for Telemedicine Use Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in Germany: Secondary Analysis of Data From a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

Previous studies have demonstrated telemedicine to be an effective tool to complement rheumatology care and address workforce shortage. With the COVID-19 outbreak, telemedicine experienced a massive upswing. An earlier analysis revealed that the motivation of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases to use telemedicine is closely connected to their disease. It remains unclear which factors are associated with patients' motivation to use telemedicine in certain rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases groups, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aims to identify factors that determine the willingness to try telemedicine among patients diagnosed with RA. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a German nationwide cross-sectional survey among patients with RA. Bayesian univariate logistic regression analysis was applied to the data to determine which factors were associated with willingness to try telemedicine. Predictor variables (covariates) studied individually included sociodemographic factors (eg, age, sex) and health characteristics (eg, health status). All the variables positively and negatively associated with willingness to try telemedicine in the univariate analyses were then considered for Bayesian model averaging analysis after a selection based on the variance inflation factor (≤ 2.5) to identify determinants of willingness to try telemedicine. Among 438 surveyed patients in the initial study, 210 were diagnosed with RA (47.9%). Among them, 146 (69.5%) answered either yes or no regarding willingness to try telemedicine and were included in the analysis. A total of 22 variables (22/55, 40%) were associated with willingness to try telemedicine (region of practical equivalence %≤5). A total of 9 determinant factors were identified using Bayesian model averaging analysis. Positive determinants included desiring telemedicine services provided by a rheumatologist (odds ratio [OR] 13.7, 95% CI 5.55-38.3), having prior knowledge of telemedicine (OR 2.91, 95% CI 1.46-6.28), residing in a town (OR 2.91, 95% CI 1.21-7.79) or city (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.23-1.27), and perceiving one's health status as moderate (OR 1.87, 95% CI 0.94-3.63). Negative determinants included the lack of an electronic device (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.01-0.62), absence of home internet access (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.02-0.39), self-assessment of health status as bad (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21-0.89) or very bad (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.06-2.06), and being aged between 60 and 69 years (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.22-1.04) or older than 70 years (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.16-0.85). The results suggest that some patients with RA will not have access to telemedicine without further support. Older patients, those not living in towns, those without adequate internet access, reporting a bad health status, and those not owning electronic devices might be excluded from the digital transformation in rheumatology and might not have access to adequate RA care. These patient groups certainly require support for the use of digital rheumatology care.

Knowledge of telemedicine and its associated factors among health professional in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Telemedicine is a useful tool for decreasing hospital stress, patient suffering, ambulance needs, hospital anxiety, and costs while improving the standard of care. Nonetheless, the lack of awareness regarding telemedicine poses a barrier to its application, presenting several difficulties in underdeveloped nations like Ethiopia. This review evaluates Ethiopian-specific telemedicine knowledge and associated factors. This systematic review was conducted using a search of several online databases in addition to the main databases, like Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct. The writers have looked for, reviewed, and summarized information about telemedicine knowledge in the healthcare system. This study contained seven studies that examined telemedicine knowledge in the Ethiopian healthcare sector. Studies that followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA) were found using search engines. The investigation was carried out using STATA version 11. The indicator of heterogeneity (I2) was used to assess the level of heterogeneity among the included studies. The funnel plot was visually inspected, and Egger's regression test was run to check for publication bias. The pooled effect size of every study is estimated using a random-effect model meta-analysis. Examination of 2160 studies, seven studies involving 2775 health professionals, and seven out of the 2160 publications assessed satisfied the inclusion criteria and were added to the systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of Telemedicine knowledge was 45.20 (95% CI: 34.87-55.53). Whereas the pooled factor was computer training was 2.24 times (AOR = 2.24 (95%; CI: 1.64-3.08)), computer access was 2.07 times (AOR = 2.07 (95% CI: 1.50-2.87)), internet access was 3.09 times (AOR = 3.09 (95% CI: 1.34-7.13)), social media access were 3.09 times (AOR = 3.09(95%; CI: 1.34-7.13)), educational status degree and above were 2.73 times (AOR = 2.73; 95% CI: 0.85-8.82), Awareness were 3.18 times (AOR = 3.18 (95%; CI: 1.02-9.91)), Management support was 1.85 (AOR = 1.85 (95% CI: 01.25-2.75)), computer literacy were 2.90 times (AOR = 2.90 (95% CI: 1.81-4.64)), computer owner were 1.70 times (AOR = 1.70 (95% CI: 1.05-2.76)), male gender were 1.95 times (AOR = 1.95 (95% CI: 1.32-2.87)). The overall pooled prevalence of telemedicine knowledge was low. Gender, education, management support, computer access, social media access, internet access, telemedicine awareness, and telemedicine training associated with telemedicine knowledge.

Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Skills (AKAS) of Telemedicine and Its Use by Primary Healthcare Providers.

This study aimed to determine the rate of telemedicine (TM) use and the levels of awareness, knowledge, attitude, and skills of TM among primary healthcare (PHC) providers. In a cross-sectional study, 104 PHC providers were subjected to a validated AKAS scale via Survey Monkey. The tool consists of 4 parameters that users can respond to using a 4-point Likert scale to assess their awareness (12 statements), knowledge (11 statements), attitude (11 statements), and skills (13 statements) on TM. Total and percentage mean scores (PMS) were calculated for each parameter. Participants were categorized in each parameter into three categories: low (≤ 49% score), average (50-70% score), and high (≥ 71% score) levels. The association of AKAS levels with personal characteristics and TM use was investigated. The significance was set at p<0.05. One-half of participants (51%) reported current use of TM, and two-thirds (63.5%) reported a high level of AKAS, with a PMS of 72.9±14.7, 95% CI: 70.1-75.7. There were significant associations between the following: years of experience and levels of knowledge (Χ2LT = 6.77, p= 0.009) and skills (Χ2LT = 4.85, p = 0.028), respectively; and total household income and levels of skills (Χ2LT = 6.91, p= 0.009). The rate of TM use was significantly associated with awareness levels (Χ2LT = 6.14, p = 0.013). Lack of training ranked as the first barrier (45.5%), followed by connection problems and tools' unavailability (35.1% each). The participants recommended providing TM training (41.1%) and stabilization of connection and networking signals (30.1%). Despite their high level of TM awareness, the rate of TM use by PHC providers is less than satisfactory. Establishing standardized TM training and supporting the network signals are recommended. A large-scale study on the impact of TM integration with PHC services is necessary.

Knowledge and perceived benefits of telemedicine adoption and online medical consultation among healthcare professionals at Ade-Oyo Maternity Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State

&lt;b&gt;Background: &lt;/b&gt;Healthcare professionals’ adoption of telemedicine is mainly influenced by their knowledge and perception of its benefits. This study was aimed at investigating the knowledge and perceived benefits of telemedicine and online medical consultation among healthcare professionals.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Materials &amp;amp; methods: &lt;/b&gt;A cross-sectional survey conducted among health professionals at Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Data was collected from 250 respondents using a semi-structured questionnaire through a multi-stage sampling technique. SPSS version 26.0 was used for analysis. Spearman rho correlation was used to check the association between knowledge and perceived benefit at p-value ≤0. 05.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; Respondents mean age was 38.7±9.2 years. 34.4% had at least 16 years of experience, 34.0% had master’s degree. The mean knowledge score was 9.9±1.7, 91.6% had good knowledge. Level of education, years of experience and ownership and efficiency in use of computer were the major factors influencing knowledge on telemedicine and online consultation. Knowledge of telemedicine and online consultation was positively with perceived benefit (p=0.024, r&lt;sub&gt;s&lt;/sub&gt;=0.142).&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/b&gt;Knowledge is a significant determinant of perceived benefit of telemedicine and online consultation.

Facilitators and barriers to using telemedicine for gender-affirming care in gender-diverse youth: A qualitative study.

Access to gender-affirming care (GAC) is limited for gender-diverse (GD) youth, with the potential for further limitations given the current political climate. GAC has been shown to improve the mental health of GD youth and telemedicine (TM) could increase access to GAC. With limited data on the acceptability and feasibility of TM for GAC among GD youth, we sought to further explore their perspectives on the use of TM in their care. We used a semi-structured interview guide, with prompts developed to explore participants' knowledge of TM, identify factors that influenced use, and advantages or disadvantages of use. Thirty GD participants aged 13-21 years old participated in TM. While TM was not the preferred option for medical visits, it was recognized as a practical option for providing GAC. Various actual and perceived disadvantages noted by youth included, technical issues interrupting the visit, not receiving care equivalent to that of an in-person visit, having to see themselves on the screen, family members interrupting visits, and meeting new staff while connecting to a TM visit. The advantages, however, were an increased autonomy and convenience of TM, especially when used for specific aspects of GAC. The use of TM in GAC could be optimized by limiting camera use, eliminating/reducing staff involvement, being sensitive to privacy issues, and alternating TM with in-person visits. Clinicians should be cognizant of patient preferences and concerns and be flexible with visit types.

Assessing Telemedicine Knowledge and Utilization among Residents in Benin City, Edo State during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, addressing healthcare service gaps. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and utilization of telemedicine among residents in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.&#x0D; Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among adult residents of Benin City. A multi-staged sampling technique comprising four stages was employed to select respondents, and data were collected through a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. Statistical analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS vs 25.0. Significance was established at p &lt; 0.05, and results were presented as prose and frequency tables.&#x0D; Results: The study included 413 participants with a mean age (SD) of 26.9 ± 7.1 years. The majority, 279 (67.6%), were students, and 289 (70.0%) had tertiary education. Good knowledge of telemedicine was demonstrated by 192 (61.5%) of the respondents but 122 (39.1%) had used telemedicine services. Fifty-seven (46.7%) of those who used telemedicine favoured phone calls as the primary medium, citing its accessibility. Notably, 106 (86.9%) reported using telemedicine to reduce hospital waiting times, and 105 (86.1%) appreciated its ready availability. Barriers to telemedicine use included network challenges during consultations (42.6%) and inconsistent power supply (36.3%). Age (p = 0.045), sex (p = 0.038) and higher education (p = 0.009) were significantly associated with better telemedicine knowledge.&#x0D; Conclusion: The study revealed that while a significant proportion of residents in Benin City possessed good knowledge of telemedicine, its utilization remains low. Addressing infrastructure limitations and extending educational efforts will be pivotal in bridging the knowledge-utilization gap in telemedicine.

Integrating Telemedicine Training into the Graduate Medical Education Curriculum

Objectives The primary objective of this study was to examine current emergency medicine resident knowledge of telemedicine, expose residents to standardized telemedicine patients virtually, and analyze the effectiveness of telemedicine training on completing a successful encounter. Methods emergency medicine residents first underwent a virtual standardized telemedicine encounter using the ZoomTM telecommunications application without prior training in telemedicine. Standardized patients were then queried on resident success during this untrained encounter using a survey with aspects of a successful telemedicine encounter. The following session involved a lecture by a telemedicine physician. After this intervention, the residents underwent a repeat virtual encounter, with standardized patients responding to the same questions on the fundamental aspects of a successful interview. Residents also underwent a post-survey on their experiences with the training. Results Statistically significant differences were noted on aspects of the encounter related to obtaining informed consent (0% vs. 61%, p = 0.00012), asking about privacy in the patient’s environment (6% vs. 87%, p &lt;0.00001), verifying name and/or date of birth (29% vs. 94%, p =0.00014), explaining the telehealth process and expectations to the patient (0% vs. 94%, p &lt;0.00001). No statistical significance was seen with: resident introducing themselves (94% vs. 100%, p =.31732), asking focused questions about medical condition (100% vs. 100% p = 1), closing the encounter by explaining care plan (94% vs. 94%, p = 1). Conclusions Overall, emergency medicine residents had significant improvement on aspects of an encounter with a standardized patient that were unique to telemedicine after undergoing training from an expert in the field. Similar training could easily be utilized across the country in emergency medicine residencies. This training could prove to be essential in the future because of the global health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also for rural emergency patient care and remote educational programs.

Aile hekimlerinin pandemi döneminde muayene fobisi ve online görüntülü muayene hakkındaki görüşleri

Introduction: During Covid-19 pandemic, many hospitals closed their outpatient clinics because of the high number of inpatients and individuals turned to their family physicians for medical care. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the opinions of family physicians regarding examination phobia and telemedicine video examinations during the pandemic. Methods: This was a single-centered, cross-sectional study. The participating physicians completed a questionnaire with 28 questions including their sociodemographic data, whether they performed examination during the pandemic, telemedicine knowledge and opinions on telemedicine. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 20 software package and statistical significance was set at p&amp;lt;0.05. Results: 364 family physicians participated in our study and 163 of them (44.8%) reported hesitation while examining patients, with the majority (53.8%; n=196) expressing anxiety about oropharyngeal examinations. 211 of them (58%) reported having knowledge of telemedicine. The majority of family physicians thought that follow-ups and prescriptions for chronic diseases, repeat prescriptions, and post-treatment control examinations could be performed online whereas pregnant, postpartum, infant, and child follow-ups could not. While 40% (n=146) didn’t want to provide services via video/telephone examination, 32.7% (n=119) wanted to and 27.2% (n=99) undecided. 86.8% (n=316) of them believed that telemedicine video/telephone examination could result in legal problems. Participants estimated that less than 25% of their daily patients were suitable for telemedicine, and that less than 25% had access to the necessary technology. However, 55.8% (n=203) of family physicians believed that patients would be interested in telemedicine, and 59.6% (n=216) thought that providing such services would increase their workload. Being undecided about providing services through telemedicine was more common among women (p=0.029), while unwillingness to provide online services increased with age and years of occupation (p=0.024, p=0.004, respectively). Conclusion: Telemedicine, which has come to the forefront with the development of technology today, was seen as an opportunity to reduce contact with patients during the pandemic. However, our study found that family physicians believed that telemedicine services would increase their workload and that a large portion of society was not ready for this system. Keywords: Telemedicine, telehealth, covid 19, family physician.

The Effect of Healthcare Professionals’ Digital Literacy and Knowledge of Telemedicine on Perception of Telemedicine

Objective: The objective is to determine levels of digital literacy, knowledge and perception of telemedicine, becoming important with innovations in communication and information technologies, and to reveal correlations between them. In addition, the effect of telemedicine experience on the perception of telemedicine constitutes another purpose of this study. &#x0D; Method: In the study, data was collected cross-sectionally, via on-line and face-to-face surveys. 334 healthcare workers from one tertiary and two second-line hospitals were included in the study. For data analysis, structural validity of items was evaluated. Item reliability was evaluated by calculating Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency coefficient. Correlations between variables were tested with structural equation model. To determine differences between groups, two sample t-tests were used.&#x0D; Findings: Results of Structural Equation Model showed a positive correlation between digital literacy and knowledge of telemedicine, and between knowledge of telemedicine and perception of telemedicine. Knowledge of telemedicine was found to mediate the relationship between digital literacy and perception of telemedicine. In this study, perception of telemedicine (x̄= 3.392) and digital literacy level (x̄= 3.527) were found to be above average, while knowledge of telemedicine was found to be below average (x̄= 2.090). Perception of telemedicine was found to increase positively in participants with telemedicine experience (t(332) = 4.979, p

Telemedicine Service Adoption During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Physicians' Experience from Nigeria.

Introduction: Telemedicine practice experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic have not been well documented in resource-constrained settings, such as Nigeria. We set out to assess knowledge, attitude, and factors associated with telemedicine practice during the COVID-19 lockdown, as well as physician experiences in Kano, Nigeria. Methods: We employed a mixed-methods approach, utilizing structured questionnaires administered to 246 physicians, followed by in-depth interviews with a purposive subsample of 20 individuals. The data were analyzed using logistic regression and the framework approach. Results: Overall, 65.0% of the respondents demonstrated moderate to good knowledge of telemedicine. Before COVID, only 47.6% (n = 117) reported practicing telemedicine, compared with 77.2% (n = 190) during the COVID lockdown (p < 0.05). Factors associated with telemedicine practice included having at least 5 years of work experience, working in pediatrics, undergoing senior residency training, receiving formal telemedicine training, possessing good knowledge of telemedicine, and having a positive attitude toward it. The odds of engaging in telemedicine practice were four times higher (adjusted odds ratio = 4.10, 95% confidence interval: 1.79-9.40) for those who practiced it before the pandemic. Challenges identified included knowledge and skill gaps, slow internet connectivity, unstable electricity, and inadequate equipment. Conclusion: To enhance telemedicine practice in resource-limited settings, it is important to focus on strengthening information and communication infrastructure, providing comprehensive clinician training, implementing careful patient selection processes, and improving practice guidelines.

Towards implementing telemedicine in Tunisia: Results of a knowledge, attitude and practice study among medical doctors

Background: The use of information and communication technology such as telemedicine occupies nowadays a huge place in modern medicine practice all over the world, mainly after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, its implementation in Tunisia and other developing countries has achieved little success with low utilization and can be challenging for several reasons. In this study, our aim was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practice of Tunisian medical doctors regarding telemedicine. Methods: This was a cross-sectional web survey, administered to medical doctors in Tunisia in October 2022. Respondents’ level of knowledge of telemedicine was assessed by calculating a knowledge score (0 to 12). Attitude subsections were about perceived telemedicine attributes of relative advantage, compatibility, trial ability and complexity. Results: A total of 243 participants were included. The mean age was 45 ± 9.6 years old, and 57.2% were female, with a mean of 14.3 ± 10.3 years of professional experience. The majority (95.9%) had an average or high level of computer skills. More than half (59.3%) had a poor level of telemedicine knowledge. A good level of knowledge was significantly associated with age category over 50 years (p = 0.02) and with years of experience over 10 (p = 0.03). The majority (89.3%) had a moderate or high score about perceived advantages. The majority (88.5%) accepted use of telemedicine in their future practice. Almost half (46.9%) had practiced telemedicine activities before using a mobile phone (91%) or social media (64%). The principal limitations of applying telemedicine were challenges of organization and implementation, and incomplete patient examination. Conclusions: Although Tunisian doctors’ knowledge and practice of telemedicine were unsatisfactory, their positive attitude and willingness to try it in their future practice were encouraging. There is an urgent need for implementing telemedicine in Tunisia to improve health care coverage in some unprivileged areas.

Assessing Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Health Professionals Regarding use of Telemedicine in Jhansi District, Uttar Pradesh, India

INTRODUCTION: Telemedicine, the delivery of healthcare services remotely using communication technologies, has rapidly emerged as a transformative solution in the healthcare industry. The successful implementation of any new technology is influenced by several factors, including the knowledge and comprehension of the concept, acquired skills, attitudes towards technology, and the working environment of the professionals involved. AIM: The main objective of this study was to assess the awareness, knowledge, attitude and skills of telemedicine among the health professionals working in various private and government teaching hospitals in Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh, India. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 110 healthcare professionals, including teaching faculties and practitioners from preclinical, para-clinical, and clinical departments in Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh, India. A pre-validated self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the awareness, knowledge, attitude, and practice of telemedicine. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the application of the t-test. The study provides valuable insights into the current state of telemedicine among healthcare professionals in the region. RESULTS: The study found that among the respondents, 41% demonstrated good knowledge of telemedicine, while 35% had fair knowledge, and 24% lacked adequate knowledge. Regarding attitude, 39% exhibited a high attitude towards telemedicine, 31% had a moderate attitude, and 30% had a low attitude. In terms of practice, only 9% were skilfully practicing telemedicine on a regular basis, 35% were in learners or beginners stage of practice and 56% were unskilled and incapable of practicing telemedicine and handling related equipments. CONCLUSION: The study findings indicate that while the respondents have limited experience and knowledge in telemedicine technology, a significant proportion of them exhibit a positive attitude towards telemedicine. It is imperative to prioritize the education and training of teaching faculty, practicing physicians, residents, medical students, and other healthcare professionals regarding telemedicine and its associated considerations.

Attitude, awareness, and knowledge of telemedicine among medical students: A systematic review of cross-sectional studies.

The success of every new technology depends on numerous factors, including specialists' knowledge and perceptions of the concept, acquired attitude skills, and work environments. This systematic review aimed to examine medical students'knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of telemedicine. Studies were obtained from the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases on June 9, 2022. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysesguidelines. Cross-sectional studies that examined medical students'knowledge, attitude, and perceptions of telemedicine approaches were considered inclusion criteria. Titles and abstracts were independently screened based on eligibility criteria. Articles that did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded from this review. After that,the complete texts were retrieved and screened by two separate researchers based on the eligibility criteria. Disputes were resolved by discussion. The same checklist was used for data extraction. To assess the quality of the studies entering this study, the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies was used. In total, 10 eligible articles were found through this review. The sample size of the studies ranged from 60 to 3312 participants, or 6172 participants on the whole. The medical students'attitudes toward telemedicine were evaluated in eight included studies. Many of these studies (seven cases) reported positive and promising perspectives on telemedicine. However, in one study, participants revealed moderate attitudes toward online health information and online health experience sharing (p < 0.05). Students' knowledge of the telemedicine approach was evaluated in eight included studies. Many of these studies (five cases) reported that students possessed an extensively poor knowledge of telemedicine's uses. In three other studies, two reported moderate and one disclosed desirable levels of students'knowledge. All the included studies attributed medical students'poor knowledge to the lack of, and thus failure of, educational courses in this field. The evidence obtained from this review reveals that medical students possess positive and promising attitudes toward telemedicine technology for education, treatment, and care. However, their knowledge levels were extremely insufficient, and many had not passed any educational courses in this respect. Such results can foreground the health and education policymakers'obligations for planning, training, and empowering digital health and telemedicine literacy among medical students as the primary players in social health.

Health care professionals' knowledge and attitudes toward telemedicine.

The utilization of modern communication technology in the healthcare field is known as telemedicine, and it represents an advancement in the healthcare industry. For effective implementation of these technologies, healthcare professionals must possess the appropriate knowledge and hold a positive perspective toward the implementation of telemedicine. The current study aims to evaluate the knowledge and perspective of healthcare professionals in King Fahad Medical City, Saudi Arabia toward telemedicine. This study was carried out in a diverse hospital, King Fahad Medical City, Saudi Arabia and it was a cross-sectional study. The study took place from June 2019 until February 2020, during which 370 healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals participated. The data was gathered by using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The analysis of the data revealed that the majority of the healthcare professionals who participated in the study, 237 (63.7%), had limited knowledge of telemedicine. About 41 (11%) participants had a good understanding of the technology, and 94 participants (25.3%) had extensive knowledge. The overall attitude of the participants toward telemedicine was positive, with a mean score of 3.26. The mean attitude scores varied significantly (P < 0.001) among the different professions, with physicians scoring 3.69, allied healthcare professionals scoring 3.31, and nurses scoring 3.07. The coefficient of determination (R2) was used to evaluate the variation in attitude toward telemedicine and it was found that education (12.4%) and nationality (4.7%) had the least impact on the attitude toward telemedicine. Healthcare professionals are crucial to the successful implementation and continuity of telemedicine. However, despite their positive attitude toward telemedicine, most of the healthcare professionals who participated in the study had limited knowledge of it. There were differences in attitude among different groups of healthcare professionals. As a result, it is necessary to create specialized educational programs for healthcare professionals to guarantee the proper implementation and continuation of telemedicine.

Self-reported perceptions and knowledge of telemedicine in medical students and professionals who enrolled in an online course in Peru

BackgroundTelemedicine has become more relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, medical students and professionals do not acquire competences in telemedicine during their training. Our objective was to describe the self-reported perception and baseline knowledge of telemedicine among medical students and professionals enrolled in a virtual course.MethodsCross-sectional study that included physicians or medical students aged 18 years or older who were interested in a free virtual telemedicine course and who completed the data collection questionnaire. We used a Likert scale to assess the self-reported perceptions of four domains related to telemedicine. The participants were grouped into three levels for each domain: low, medium and high. We also objectively assessed telemedicine knowledge by means of 10 questions, with a cut-off point of 50% of correct answers. The Fisher's exact test, the Chi-square test, and the Mann–Whitney U test were used for the comparison of categorical data. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsWe included 161 participants: 118 medical students and 43 physicians. We observed no significant differences between medical students and physicians in self-reported perceptions of knowledge, security, or utility of telemedicine. However, students had a high self-reported perception of the disadvantages of telemedicine especially related to patient security (p = 0.018), efficiency of care (p = 0.040), and the possibility of medical malpractice (p = 0.010) compared to physicians. Nearly half of the students (n = 53,44.9%) and physicians (n = 22,51.7%) answered 50% or more of the questions related to telemedicine knowledge correctly.ConclusionAmong the physicians and medical students enrolled in the course, the students perceived the disadvantages of telemedicine more frequently. Although physicians and students have limited knowledge of telemedicine, there appears to be no influence of experience and prior training in telemedicine.

Knowledge and Perception of Telemedicine among Medical Students of the University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Telemedicine has promising potential to address the challenges faced by healthcare systems in developing countries, in providing equitable access to quality care. However, the practice of telemedicine is generally poor in these countries. The success of telemedicine like any technology depends on numerous factors including users' knowledge and perceptions. Hence, this study aimed to examine the knowledge and perceptions of telemedicine among medical students at the University of Jos. This was a cross-sectional study among 305 clinical medical students selected through a stratified sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire consisting of a 28-item 5-point Likert response scale was used to collect data, comprising 13 items for knowledge, 8 for the perception of benefits, and 7 for the perception of ease of use of telemedicine. Data was analyzed using IBM-SPSS. One hundred and eleven (36.4%) participants had good knowledge of telemedicine, while 113 (37.1%) had a good perception of the benefits and 103 (33.8%) had a good perception of the ease of use. Respondents with a good knowledge of telemedicine were about five times more likely (OR = 5.24, 95% CI = 3.15 - 8.69) to have a good perception of the benefits and about eight times more likely (OR = 8.33, 95% CI = 4.57 - 14.26) to have a good perception of ease of use. Few medical students possess desirable levels of knowledge and perceptions of telemedicine which portrays a gap in the medical education curriculum. Therefore, training, and educational opportunities are recommended to improve their knowledge and perception of telemedicine.

Factors Associated With Telemedicine Use Among Patients With Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Disease: Secondary Analysis of Data From a German Nationwide Survey.

Previous studies have demonstrated telemedicine (TM) to be an effective tool to complement rheumatology care and address workforce shortage. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, TM experienced a massive upswing. A previous study revealed that physicians' willingness to use TM and actual use of TM are closely connected to their knowledge of TM. However, it remains unclear which factors are associated with patients' motivation to use TM. This study aims to identify the factors that determine patients' willingness to try TM (TM try) and their wish that their rheumatologists offer TM services (TM wish). We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a German nationwide cross-sectional survey among patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease (RMD). Bayesian univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to the data to determine which factors were associated with TM try and TM wish. The predictor variables (covariates) studied individually included sociodemographic factors (eg, age and sex) and health characteristics (eg, disease type and health status). All the variables positively or negatively associated with TM try or TM wish in the univariate analyses were then considered for the Bayesian model averaging analysis after a selection based on the variance inflation factor (≤2.5). All the analyses were stratified by sex. Of the total 102 variables, 59 (57.8%) and 45 (44.1%) variables were found to be positively or negatively associated (region of practical equivalence ≤5%) with TM try and TM wish, respectively. A total of 16 and 8 determinant factors were identified for TM try and TM wish, respectively. Wishing that TM services were offered by rheumatologists, having internet access at home, residing 5 to 10 km away from the general practitioner's office, owning an electronic device, and being aged 40 to 60 years were among the factors positively associated with TM try and TM wish. By contrast, not yet being diagnosed with an RMD, having no prior knowledge of TM, having a bad health status, living in a rural area, not documenting one's health status, not owning an electronic device, and being aged 60 to 80 years were negatively associated with TM try and TM wish. Our results suggest that health status, knowledge, age, and access to technical equipment and infrastructure influence the motivation of patients with RMD to use telehealth services. In particular, older patients with RMD living in rural areas, who could likely benefit from using TM, are currently not motivated to use TM and seem to need additional TM support.

Artificial intelligence and telemedicine in the field of anaesthesiology, intensive care and pain medicine

BACKGROUND The potential role of artificial intelligence in enhancing human life and medical practice is under investigation but the knowledge of the topic among healthcare providers is under-investigated. OBJECTIVES To investigate knowledge of artificial intelligence in physicians working in the field of anaesthesiology, intensive care, and pain medicine. As secondary outcomes, we investigated the main concerns on the implementation of artificial intelligence. DESIGN Online survey. SETTING Anaesthesiology, intensive care and pain medicine. VOLUNTEERS We invited clinicians specialised in anaesthesia, resuscitation, intensive care and pain medicine who were active members of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC). INTERVENTION Online survey from 28 June 2022 to 29 October 2022. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcome was to investigate knowledge of artificial intelligence and telemedicine of participants. RESULTS A total of 4465 e-mails were sent and 220 specialists, age 46.5 ± 10.2; 128 men (58.2%) responded to the survey. In general, some knowledge of artificial intelligence and machine learning was reported by 207 of 220 (94.1%) and 180 of 220 (81.8%) members, respectively. In anaesthesiology, 168 of 220 (76.4%) and 151 of 220 (68.6%) have heard of artificial intelligence and machine learning. In intensive care, 154 of 220 (70.0%) and 133 of 220 (60.5%) had heard of artificial intelligence and machine learning, while these figures were much lower in pain medicine [artificial intelligence: only 70/220 (31.8%) and machine learning 67/220 (30.5%)]. The main barriers to implementing these tools in clinical practice were: lack of knowledge of algorithms leading to the results; few validation studies available and not enough knowledge of artificial intelligence. Knowledge of telemedicine was reported in 212 of 220 (96.4%) members. CONCLUSION Most anaesthesiologists are aware of artificial intelligence and machine learning. General thinking about the application of artificial intelligence in anaesthesiology, intensive care and pain management was positive overall, with most participants not considering this tool as a threat to their profession.

Knowledge and Attitude of Salesmen in Nigeria towards Telemedicine

Need for prompt access to healthcare led to this cross-sectional study aimed to determine the knowledge and attitude of Sales men in Nigeria. It involved 362 Salesmen from some selected big companies in three states (Taraba, Benue and Adamawa) and Abuja. An electronic survey prepared using Google Form was used to collect information through social media such as WhatsApp. The research tool was validated by three experts in public health and the reliability test was done using Cronbach Alpha and a 0.7 co-efficient was obtained. The findings from the study revealed that 98.1% respondents have heard about telemedicine while 98.1% agreed that mobile health can help especially during emergency. However, 97.2% knew telemedicine involves Live consultation and interactive sessions from a distance. Nevertheless, 95.9% knew telemedicine makes it possible for one to access clinical services from a distance while 93.4% were aware that telemedicine has provision for storage and forwarding, 82.9% knew telemedicine makes it possible for one to easily reach medical specialists. On their attitudes towards telemedicine, 49.7% and 49.4% of the respondents strongly agreed and agreed respectively that telemedicine makes it easier for one to reach his doctor while 42% and 49.4% agreed and strongly agreed that telemedicine helps to curb the spread of infection. However, 47% and 49.7% respectively agreed and strongly agreed that telemedicine enables one to receive medical attention even at odd hours or while in remote villages. Meanwhile, 42% and 49.4% respectively agreed and strongly agreed that telemedicine reduces cost. Also, 44.2% and 51.9% of the respondents respectively agreed and strongly agreed that telemedicine offers appropriate medical follow-up. Nevertheless, 43.6% of the respondents agreed while 52.8% strongly agreed that telemedicine offers medical attention while one is in the comfort of his home. Finally, 45% and 47% of the participants respectively agreed and strongly agreed that with telemedicine one does not need to waste a whole day of work just to receive medical attention. In conclusion, the knowledge of telemedicine was high (82.9%) among the Salesmen while the attitude reflected high (93.6%) acceptance. Therefore, there is a need to introduce the use of telemedicine Apps to the Salesmen and also subsidize the applications.