Telemedicine Patient Satisfaction and Cost: A Comparative Study in the COVID-19 Era.

Introduction: Telemedicine has the potential to enhance access to healthcare services across distances and this was of great value during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, concerns about user satisfaction in comparison to face-to-face (FTF) interaction remain inadequately addressed.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of telemedicine technology from the patient perspective by comparing patient satisfaction and cost savings of follow-up visits through telemedicine with those of FTF clinical visits.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with two groups i.e., a telemedicine group and a control group that received FTF care at a tertiary hospital.

Results: This study demonstrated that the telemedicine group had patient satisfaction levels similar to those of the FTF clinical visit group, having a lower cost of care. Factors associated with patient satisfaction with telemedicine clinical care are identified and discussed. Both groups showed similar results in overall satisfaction with substantial cost savings for telemedicine patients.  Conclusion: Positive impacts of telemedicine technology from the patient perspective were seen and decision-makers must expand telemedicine efforts and continuously monitor patient perceptions toward telemedicine.