Dataset Information

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular clinics: Are we ready for telemedicine?

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The need for telemedicine was felt more than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted health care worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the difficulties faced by patients in visiting the cardiac outpatient department during COVID-19, along with assessing the awareness and acceptability of telemedicine.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, selected patients presenting to outpatient department of a tertiary care cardiac hospital were interviewed regarding the difficulties faced by patients in visiting the outpatient department during COVID-19 and their awareness and acceptability of telemedicine using a self-designed structured questionnaire.

Results

Of the 403 patients, 58.3% were male, the mean age was 53.04 ± 11.73 years, and most (77.7%) were urban residents. Ischemic heart disease was present in 69.5%, followed by hypertension (38.7%) and heart failure (29.3%). A total of 26.6% required emergency room visits. Limited appointments (55.6%) was the most common problem faced by patients during COVID-19, followed by financial issues (17.1%), fear of acquiring infection (13.4%), and limited mobility due to lockdown (22.6%). Only 12.2% were aware of telemedicine, 4.5% had previously used it, and 41.2% were willing to opt for telemedicine in the future. No internet access (39.2%) was the key barrier to the usage of telemedicine, followed by a lack of free medicine (39%) and a lack of a smart device (31.5%).

Conclusion

Limited appointments due to COVID-19 restrictions has made it difficult for patients to visit the clinics, which has led to increased emergency room visits. Telemedicine awareness was found to be limited; however, many patients were willing to adopt it provided their limitations could be overcome.

SUBMITTER: Mujtaba M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9912032 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular clinics: Are we ready for telemedicine?

Mujtaba Mustajab M Kotwani Sapna S Qayyum Danish D Saghir Tahir T Bhatti Khalid Iqbal KI Khalid Muhammad Rahman MR Khanzada Muhammad Faisal MF Aman Saba S Shaikh Khalil Ahmed KA Buraro Sharfuddin S Karim Musa M

SAGE open medicine 20230208

<h4>Objective</h4>The need for telemedicine was felt more than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted health care worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the difficulties faced by patients in visiting the cardiac outpatient department during COVID-19, along with assessing the awareness and acceptability of telemedicine.<h4>Methods</h4>In this cross-sectional study, selected patients presenting to outpatient department of a tertiary care cardiac hospital were interviewed re ...[more]

PMID: 36778198

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Dataset Information

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular clinics: Are we ready for telemedicine?

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular clinics: Are we ready for telemedicine?

Similar Datasets

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