Abstract
Background
Telemedicine has evolved as an essential tool for delivering healthcare services, particularly amidst obstacles such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent studies have demonstrated good effects and greater patient satisfaction with telemedicine counseling. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness and patient satisfaction of two telemedicine modalities: WhatsApp chat versus phone calls.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2022 in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, consent forms were obtained, and 10-point scale questionnaires were utilized to determine patient satisfaction. The same measure was also used to assess urologists on their level of confidence in diagnosis. Conventional statistical tests like the t-test and Fisher's exact test were employed in statistical analyses.
Results
77 participants were included in this study, 32 (41.6%) used phone call consultations and 45 (58.4%) chose WhatsApp consultations. Most participants in both groups were male (74.2% and 68.2%; p = 0.616). The mean age was 37.9 ± 17.0 and 32.5 ± 16.2 years for the phone call group and WhatsApp group respectively (p = 0.163). The phone call group expressed significantly higher satisfaction at the time of the consultations compared to WhatsApp users (8.7 vs. 8.0; p = 0.030). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding urologists' confidence in diagnosis (7.7 vs. 7.8; p = 0.935) or satisfaction with follow-up consultations (9.0 vs. 8.7; p = 0.570).
Conclusion
This study revealed no significant differences in patient outcomes or physician confidence in management using phone calls versus WhatsApp chats as a telemedicine modalities, indicating both the patients and healthcare professionals can make good use of both approaches. Notably, patients using phone calls achieved higher satisfaction at the time of consultation and tend to use this modality in urgent situations.