KRISTINE JOY SUMANGA
Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Cebu City,Philippines
Title: "Extent of Knowledge, Preparedness and Perception on Telemedicine among Family Medicine Resident Physicians in Different Training Institutions in Cebu City during COVID-19 Pandemic"
Biography
Biography: KRISTINE JOY SUMANGA
Abstract
Background: Telemedicine is the delivery of health care services at a distance using electronic means, the diagnosis of treatment, and prevention of disease and injuries, research and evaluation, education of health care providers. The role of telemedicine in this time of COVID19 pandemic is vital especially to the practice of medicine. General Objective: To determine the extent of knowledge, preparedness and perception on telemedicine among Family Medicine Resident Physicians in different training institutions in Cebu City during COVID 19 pandemic. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, survey research study conducted in four hospital training institutions in Cebu City. A total of 41 respondents gave their consent and were given the online survey questionnaire pertaining to the extent of knowledge, preparedness and perceptions on telemedicine, including respondents’ demographic data and problems encountered in Telemedicine. Results: Out of the 41 respondents, 56.10% were young adults (26 to 30 years old), mostly females (70.73%), single (68.29%), first year residents (43.90%), employed at a government hospital (70.73%) and are in the traditional residency pathway (82.93%). On relevant experience, 82.93% experienced telemedicine during residency, with 100% on follow up consultations, and 95% were consulted due to infections. Respondents’ extent of knowledge were average while extent of preparedness and perception were high. Problems on low connectivity (80.48%) was noted by most of the respondents. Conclusion: Resident physicians moderately understood the information about telemedicine but with a high extent of preparedness and perception. They are always prepared for telemedicine modality because they are fully aware of its existence and need in the delivery of health care services among their patients at the time of pandemic. Challenges on low connectivity and handling patients’ data privacy were the major concerns met by the resident physicians in the use of telemedicine.