Desires and attitudes of outpatients and physicians regarding the use of teleurology during the pandemic: a prospective survey study

 

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Abstract

Objective: It is not known to date how many patients admitted to urology outpatient clinics are willing to use telemedicine. We aimed to investigate knowledge levels and attitudes concerning the utilization of teleurology by patients applying to urology outpatient clinics.

Methods: This prospective multicentre survey study included 334 patients aged 18–65 years who applied to an urology outpatient clinics. The patients were asked questions about their attitudes and expectations regarding teleurology. Diseases were divided into seven subgroups due to the broad spectrum of diagnoses. Physicians’ and patients’ opinions on whether it was possible to manage the current medical condition via teleurology were recorded.

Results: 69.5% of patients stated that they had sufficient technical skills to use teleurology by themselves for medical examination. 55.4% of patients and 78.4% of physicians responded that the existing complaints were suitable for teleurology. Both patients and physicians deemed genital system diseases and urinary tract infections suitable for teleurology (p<0.001, p<0.001 for physicians, and p<0.001, p<0.001 for patients), whereas urine transport, storage and emptying disorders (p=0.003) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (p=0.029) were deemed to be suitable for teleurology only by the physicians.

Conclusion: Our study shows that (i) the majority of our patient population has a telecommunications infrastructure suitable for teleurology, (ii) teleurology has aroused interest among patients, particularly during the pandemic period, and (iii) physicians and patients have high expectations that the problem can be solved with teleurology in suitable patients.

Zusammenfassung

Zielsetzung: Es ist noch nicht bekannt, wie viele Patienten in den urologischen Ambulanzen aufgenommen werden, die auch bereit sind, Telemedizin zu nutzen. Unser Ziel war es, den aktuellen Wissensstand und die Einstellung zur Nutzung der Teleurologie bei Patienten der urologischen Ambulanzen zu untersuchen.

Methoden: An dieser multizentrischen, prospektiven Erhebungsstudie nahmen 334 Patienten im Alter zwischen 18 und 65 Jahren teil, die sich in der urologischen Ambulanz angemeldet hatten. Den Patienten wurden Fragen zu ihren Einstellungen und Erwartungen bezüglich der Teleurologie gestellt. Die Krankheiten wurden aufgrund des breiten Spektrums der Diagnosen in sieben Untergruppen zusammengefasst. Die Meinungen der Ärzte und Patienten darüber, ob die aktuelle Erkrankung durch Teleurologie behandelt werden kann, wurden erfasst.

Ergebnisse: 69,5% der Patienten gaben an, dass sie über ausreichende technische Fähigkeiten verfügen, um die Teleurologie selbst zur medizinischen Untersuchung einzusetzen. 55,4% der Patienten und 78,4% der Ärzte antworteten, dass die bestehenden Beschwerden für eine Teleurologie geeignet seien. Sowohl Patienten als auch Ärzte hielten Erkrankungen des Genitalsystems und Harnwegsinfektionen für die Teleurologie geeignet (p<0,001, p<0,001 für die Ärzte und p<0,001, p<0,001 für die Patienten), während Urintransport-, -speicher- und -entleerungsstörungen (p=,003) und gutartige Prostatahyperplasie (p=0,029) nur von den Ärzten als für die Teleurologie geeignet angesehen wurden.

Schlussfolgerung: Unsere Studie hat gezeigt, dass (i) die Mehrheit unserer Patientenpopulation über eine Telekommunikationsinfrastruktur für die Teleurologie verfügt, (ii) die Teleurologie das Interesse der Patienten geweckt hat, insbesondere während der Pandemiezeit, und (iii) Ärzte und Patienten hohe Erwartungen haben, dass das Problem bei geeigneten Patienten mit Teleurologie gelöst werden kann.

Publication History

Received: 24 June 2021

Accepted after revision: 26 November 2021

Article published online:
16 February 2022

© 2022. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

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