A Comparison of the Convenience, Quality of Interaction, and Satisfaction of Virtual and In-Person Healthcare Consultations: A Nationwide Study.

Background: There are few direct comparisons of service utilization and patient-reported outcomes in patients attending medical consultations in person or virtually. This was a prospective, cross-sectional study of adults engaging with a healthcare practitioner via virtual or in-person consultations. Methods: Participants were recruited in person by convenience sampling between November 2023 and January 2024 across Saudi Arabia, and data were gathered on (i) basic demographic and consultation information and (ii) convenience, quality of interaction, and satisfaction with their consultations. Results: Of 3196 individuals who completed the survey, 28.7% had attended their most recent healthcare interaction virtually and 71.3% had attended in person. Participants attending virtual consultations were more likely to live rurally (69.0% vs. 21.9% for in-person consultations; p < 0.001). Virtual appointments were more common for primary care and diabetes/endocrinology but not surgical specialties (p < 0.001), and private apps and hospitals more frequently provided virtual appointments. Conclusions: Overall, patients found virtual consultations to be significantly more convenient, prompt, private, and well communicated than in-person appointments, translating into extremely high satisfaction (97.4% overall vs. 84.0% for in-person consultations; p < 0.001). This study provides population-level data on the current prevalence of telehealth use in Saudi Arabia. Further prospective research demonstrating the clinical noninferiority of telemedicine could help promote further uptake in specialties such as surgery.

Patient Opinions about Virtual Consultations in Saudi Arabia: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

There have been no nationwide studies of patient opinions regarding telehealth in Saudi Arabia to identify the factors that might influence patients' perceptions and satisfaction. This was a prospective cross-sectional study of adults in the general population who last engaged with a healthcare practitioner via a virtual appointment. The participants were recruited by convenience sampling across Saudi Arabia between November 2023 and January 2024, completing a questionnaire that gathered data on (i) basic demographic and virtual consultation information and (ii) telehealth service delivery and technology based on the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire. Of the 916 participants, 53.7% were female, with a mean age of 47.2 (14.1) years. Nearly half attended primary care appointments, with the remainder attending a range of hospital specialties. Over 90% preferred having a virtual appointment over an in-person visit. About half had telephone consultations, while about a third had video calls through hospital-provided platforms; >90% found virtual appointments useful and convenient, easy to use, effective, reliable, and produced a favorable clinical interaction; and 97.4% were satisfied with their remote consultation experience despite the technical interruptions. The individuals who were less happy with their virtual consultation were significantly younger, lived in urban areas, attended specialty clinics, were seen by a psychologist, preferred in-person appointments, and had consultations by telephone. These data provide momentum to continue with and expand telehealth, especially through video calls, supported by educational initiatives.