Use of telehealth: Evidence from French teleconsultation for women’s healthcare, prior and during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, French healthcare practitioners seldom used teleconsultations in France. COVID-19 has brought with it a great need for the use of teleconsultation and other interventions using digital technology. The study’s objective was to identify how French healthcare practitioners used teleconsultation for obstetrics and gynecology care services before and during COVID-19. Our study used a survey of French healthcare practitioners specializing in obstetrics and gynecology from 1 March 2020, to 31 April 2020. We first described the global picture of the teleconsultation context prior to COVID-19 and then during the first lockdown measures. For both contexts, we set up three aspects: 1- teleconsultation regarding providers’ ability; 2- teleconsultation with regards to its technological features; and 3- teleconsultation for which type of healthcare. Second, we mobilized logit models to study the determinant factors of teleconsultation use as well as what drives provider satisfaction with teleconsultation practice. We show the central role of training, and the importance of some main digital technology benefits, namely improving public health, responding to patients’ requests, and facilitating healthcare access. We also exhibit the importance of the limitations specifically related to the lack of convenience in digital technology use and the lack of trust in the digital service provided. Our results guide policy makers on suppliers’ motivation and needs for teleconsultation adoption. These results highlight the conditions for efficient use of teleconsultation.