Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to improve the utilization of telemedicine services and enhance its impact on patients with chronic diseases in King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, through the identification of patients satisfaction and perception of such services.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among a representative sample of adults with chronic conditions enrolled in telemedicine programs at chronic illness clinics, King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during the period from January 1st to December 31st, 2022. A self-administered, validated online questionnaire was utilized in this study.
Results: A total of 279 patients with chronic diseases were included in the study. Females accounted for 54.8% of the participants with a mean age of 58.9 ± 10.8 years. The vast majority (95.3%) cited follow-up of an existing condition as the primary reason for utilizing telemedicine services, and 35.1% reported having more than three prior telemedicine consultations. Overall, 89.6% of participants expressed satisfaction with telemedicine services. Notably, civilian employees (p-value = 0.036) and individuals with more than three telemedicine experiences (p-value = 0.037) significantly reported satisfaction. Furthermore, two-thirds of the patients (66.7%) expressed a preference for telemedicine consultations in the future, and 80.3% indicated a willingness to participate again. The main barrier to telemedicine use was limited network availability (7.9%).
Conclusion: Patients with chronic illnesses demonstrated general satisfaction with telemedicine consultation services. However, to gain a more nuanced understanding of the factors influencing satisfaction and the associated barriers, further extensive research involving diverse populations from different regions of the Kingdom is strongly recommended.

Key words: Telemedicine, patients, satisfaction, attitude, Saudi Arabia