Trends and Shifts in Swedish Telemedicine Consultations during pre-COVID, COVID, and post-COVID seasons: A Retrospective Observational Study (Preprint)

Abstract

Background The telemedicine landscape has evolved profoundly in recent time, bridging the gap between healthcare providers and patients, particularly in the face of modern challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective This study seeks to explore the Swedish telemedicine landscape in terms of primary patient symptoms for teleconsultation, the pattern of telemedicine use in the periods before COVID-19, during COVID-19, and post- COVID-19; including the primary care utilization dynamics with respect to the teleconsultations done.

Methods Secondary data was used in the observational retrospective study, and the study population consisted of Swedish residents, who had online meeting consultations. Telemedicine consultations were divided by text and video consultations; the period of analysis ranged from November 2018 to June 2023. The statistical methods used for the data analysis included descriptive analysis, two-way cross tabulations, and the generalized linear model.

Results During the pandemic, the number of teleconsultations concerning general, unspecified symptoms increased in comparison to the rest of the analysed symptoms, signaling the change in care-seeking behaviour under epidemiological pressure. General health-related issues were the most pronounced symptom across all periods: 186.9/1000 consultations during (pre-COVID-19), 1264.6/1000 consultations (during COVID), and 319.2/1000 consultations (post-COVID-19). There was no significant main effect of COVID period on the number of telemedicine consultation meetings (F(2) = 1.653, p = .377). The interaction effect between meeting style and period was statistically significant (F(2) = 14.723, p =.000).

Conclusions The findings support the idea that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the use of telemedicine, increasing its role in general health consultations and acute conditions. This trend indicates a preference for personal engagements and an interactive mode of communication in patient care. Video consultations were more prominent because of the importance of bi-directional communication. The study suggests the transformation of patterns of demand for healthcare and the necessity for healthcare systems to respond to these changes.

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