Patient Satisfaction with Health Care Services Via Videoconferencing

Abstract

In 1998, a project was started in Northern Finland which concentrates in the implementation and usability of six telemedicine systems. One of the telemedicine systems included in the project was videoconferencing. This substudy aims to point out the problems and benefits of teleconsultation via videoconferencing as reported by the patients. The consultation was carried out between two remote sites; the general practitioner (GP) and the patient were at a health care centre and the specialist at a hospital. The patients' opinions of the new method of health service were elicited using a questionnaire. Altogether 51 patients filled in the questionnaire, including 33 females and 18 males living in Northern Finland. The mean age of the patients was 42 years (SD = 18 years). Almost all the patients were ready to use video consultation again based on this experiment. In general, 46 (90 %) of the patients were satisfied with the new method of care. The most important benefit of video consultation was the savings in travelling costs and time. A rapid response without a long waiting time was attained. However, there was also a need to develop the interaction and communication in the consultation situation.