Authors: (including presenting author): :
Tong CY(1)
Affiliation: :
Prosthetic and Orthotic Department, Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Keyword 2: :
Orthotic treatment
Keyword 3: :
Orthotic Teleconsultation
Keyword 4: :
Patient Satisfaction to Telehealth
Introduction: :
Telehealth was more widely utilized in various medical field over the world since the COVID-19 pandemic. Needs of assistive technology, including prostheses and orthoses (P&O), is predicted to double by 2030 due to ageing population and increase prevalence of stroke and diabetes. Applying Telehealth could be an option to meet the growing demand and improve service efficiency.
Objectives: :
This study aims to identify patients’ expectation and satisfaction in Telehealth as an alternative follow-up format. Telehealth was provided to patients as an alternative follow-up method after prescription of orthosis in Hong Kong hospitals since 2023. Telehealth was already applied to P&O service in Australia and UK. However, this service is newly implemented in Hong Kong with limited evaluation in both patient acceptance and satisfaction of Telehealth orthotic treatment. Better understanding of patients’ concern and satisfaction are essential for successful implementation and improvement of Telehealth into orthotic services.
Methodology: :
Fifty patients referred for insole or orthosis fitting were recruited were recruited. Twenty-five recruited patients took Telehealth orthotic follow-up evaluation (Tele) while the remaining 25 recruited patients took face-to-face orthotic follow-up (F2f) evaluation. An in-house custom-made questionnaire combined with The Orthotics and Prosthetics Users' Survey (OPUS) was used to evaluate the result. The first part recorded demographic data; the second part evaluated the acceptance of Telehealth and the third part is OPUS which evaluated the satisfaction of subjects attending orthotic follow-up evaluation.
Result & Outcome: :
The main findings of this study are 1) to assess patients’ attitudes towards Telehealth and compare the acceptance between groups, such as age and types of orthoses prescribed, 2) identify factors that might encourage or discourage the participation of patient in Telehealth, and 3) compare patients’ satisfaction in orthotic follow-up evaluation through face-to-face consultation and Telehealth consultation. Statistical analysis revealed that: (1) shorter travel time and waiting time greatly encouraged subject to attend Telehealth; (2) body part exposure to camera, risk of diagnosis error, network and technological issue; (3) No significant satisfaction difference between Telehealth and traditional face-to-face follow-up subjects.
