| Abstract [eng] |
The global COVID-19 pandemic has led to the widespread use of teleconsultations by healthcare professionals and has made access to healthcare dependent on remote consultation and electronically transmitted data. In order to determine the quality of the service and its areas for improvement, it is necessary to assess the perception and satisfaction of the remote consultation service from the perspective of the service recipient and the provider. The aim of the study was to evaluate the organization and application practices of teleconsultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Problem: Although efforts are being made to ensure high-quality, safe and affordable healthcare through modern technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, the emerging legal, functional and technical challenges of remote consultation are being monitored. The objectives: Based on the analysis of scientific literature, to investigate the theoretical aspects of remote medical consultation; To review the legal regulation of telemedicine in Lithuania; To evaluate the quality of remote consultations in health care institutions in Lithuania during the COVID-19 pandemic with the help of quantitative research; Define the following "user profile": satisfied remote consultation on "user profile" and "user profile" in terms of barriers to telemedicine; To carry out a qualitative study due to analyse the experience and attitude of doctors in providing remote consultations in Lithuania during the COVID-19 pandemic; After summary and compare the empirical research, identify the gaps in the organization and application of remote consultation. Methodology: comparative search and analysis of scientific literature and Lithuanian legal acts; access to mixed methods - quantitative (anonymous questionnaires) and qualitative (partially structured interview) research; descriptive statistics using the SPSS program; grouping and content analysis. Results: The majority of satisfied with the application of telemedicine in the provision of health care services were young men still studying and / or working, having a higher university education and living in a city (p = 0.015). Patients are most in favour of electronic prescriptions for medicine (93%), certificates of incapacity for work (76%) and individual consultations with a doctor (57%) using telemedicine. Barriers to using this type of service include a lack of live contact and a fear of possible mistakes. Patients revealed the greatest dissatisfaction in the organization of remote consultations and the choice of technical solutions. Despite the difficulties encountered, the doctors indicated that they were satisfied with the remote consultation, but the shortcomings they identified were: disruption of the E-health services, regulatory gaps, lack of patient respect and live contact. Conclusions: Most patients and physicians evaluate the distance counselling service positively or more positively than negatively. |
