Introduction: As a result of COVID-19, several clinics have adopted telemedicine to safely deliver care. However, the introduction of a new technology into an already complex system creates new challenges that have the potential to negatively impact patient and provider experience. We aimed to use a human factors approach (the science concerned with understanding the interactions between humans and other elements in a complex system) to identify where systemic vulnerabilities may exist throughout the patient/provider experience with telemedicine.
Methods: A total of 23 patients scheduled for telemedicine consults were observed during visits with providers. A trained human factors observer documented disruptions to system efficiency (eg communication breakdowns, connectivity problems and interruptions) and invited patients and providers to take a survey investigating perceptions of telemedicine technology usability, satisfaction with the experience and opportunities to improve the process.
Results: Visits lasted an average of 17 minutes, 20 seconds and each visit had an average of 6 disruptions. Inefficiencies were categorized into 13 categories consisting mainly of interruptions (21, 15.22%), Internet connectivity issues (21, 15.22%), nonoptimal device setup (19, 13.77%) and repeat communication (18, 13.04%). Provider satisfaction with the system was 3.72/5.00 and perceived usability was 63.15 (68 is considered acceptable). Patient satisfaction was 4.80/5.00 and perceived usability was 85.
Conclusions: These findings highlight opportunities for a multifaceted intervention, including the development of an informational sheet/video for patients, a telemedicine "best practices" guideline for physicians, a standardized training process and checklist for front office staff and an in-service training for the entire care team.
Keywords: personal satisfaction; pilot projects; prospective studies; telemedicine; urologists.