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The Impact of Telemedicine on Parkinson’s Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Italian Online Survey

Authors :
Fabiana Ruggiero
Linda Lombi
Maria Takeko Molisso
Giorgio Fiore
Eleonora Zirone
Roberta Ferrucci
Elena Pirola
Marco Locatelli
Sergio Barbieri
Francesca Mameli
Source :
Healthcare, Vol 10, Iss 6, p 1065 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2022.

Abstract

Traditionally, medical care and research in Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been conducted through in-person visit. The recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly impacted the delivery of in-person clinical care. We conducted an online survey to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on access to telehealth care, interviewing both PD patients and neurologists. Survey responses were collected from 1 March to 31 May 2021 through an anonymous, self-reported questionnaire, on the ‘Qualtrics’ platform. In total, 197 patients and 42 neurologists completed the survey. In our sample, 37.56% of PD patients and 88.10% of neurologists reported having used alternatives to in-person visits, while 13.70% of PD patients and 40.48% of neurologists used telemedicine. Data showed that respondents were generally satisfied with the use of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. The relational dimension between patient and neurologist seems to be the factor that most positively affected the telemedicine experience, contributing greatly to a more patient-centred care. Current findings suggest the need to improve the access to telehealth services for patients with PD. The technology has the potential to improve the care of frail patients, especially when availability of face-to-face visits is limited.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
22279032
Volume :
10
Issue :
6
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Healthcare
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.8a2142e3b8754a97a723f235924af5c1
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10061065