Authors (including presenting author) :
Yeung KL(1), Ko YTP(1), Chan YYR(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Medicine and Rehabilitation, Tung Wah Eastern Hospital
Introduction :
With the high anticipated demand of out-patient services in Hong Kong East Cluster and enhancement of patient experience and accessibility of out-patient services, Department of Medicine & Rehabilitation (M&R) of Tung Wah Eastern Hospital (TWEH) has implemented a revolutionary specialist out-patient service – Teleconsultation in phases since May 2023. This service utilizes HA Go, a secure, one-stop telehealth platform that enables patients to attend consultations remotely via digital technologies. It provides an alternative option for patients having difficulties in attending medical outpatient clinic for follow-ups, such as patients residing in remote areas, elderly patients with mobility problems. This innovative approach not only benefits patients but also enhances the overall healthcare experience.
Objectives :
-To improve the accessibility for home-bound elderly patients or patients living in remote areas
-To provide the convenient and flexible consultation anywhere: home or office
-To enhance patient experience by streamlining the consultation process, thereby reducing waiting and travelling times, and improving overall satisfaction.
-To reduce infection risk by allowing patients to receive care at home
-To collect feedback from patients to identify strengths and areas for improvement
Methodology :
While delivering teleconsultation regularly, our SOPC has been running 1 to 2 session each month, accommodating 12 to 15 cases per session lasting for 2.5 to 3 hours. Telehealth services have become one of our standard service delivery modes ultimately. An anonymous questionnaire, title “Telehealth User Experience Survey” was conducted between November to December 2024 targeted the elderly patients with chronic disease, mobility impaired patients, patients with acute illness, and individuals living in outlying islands or office workers. This questionnaire aimed to gather experience and collect feedback from targeted patients who have utilized teleconsultation. This survey conducted right after the teleconsultation or over the phone.
Result & Outcome :
A total of 30 questionnaires were collected and analyzed with 100% response rate. The majority of patients were aged 51-70 years (53.33%). The mean satisfaction score for the Telehealth service was 4.7 out of 5, indicating a high level of satisfaction. Notable advantages of teleconsultation included reduced waiting time (86.67%), saved travel time (96.67%), decreased exposure to infections (96.67%), and fewer travel concerns (96.67%). However, 33.33% of patients reported difficulties with electronic payment, such as paying before appointment time or lacking technical support.
Conclusions:
Teleconsultation continues to be an important alternative means of providing specialist out-patient service to patients. As technology continues to advance ensuring seamless connectivity, telehealth will play a progressively pivotal role in improving care accessibility, enhancing patient experience, and optimizing healthcare resources in specialist out-patient service and beyond.
