The integration of mHealth technologies in telemedicine during the COVID-19 era: A cross-sectional study

by Abdul Rahman Taha, Mustafa Shehadeh, Ali Alshehhi, Tariq Altamimi, Emma Housser, Mecit Can Emre Simsekler, Buthaina Alfalasi, Shammah Al Memari, Farida Al Hosani, Yousif Al Zaabi, Shereena Almazroui, Hamed Alhashemi, Noora Alhajri

Telemedicine is a rapidly expanding field of medicine and an alternative method for delivering quality medical care to patients’ fingertips. With the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the use of telemedicine to connect patients and healthcare providers, which has been made possible by mobile health (mHealth) applications. The goal of this study was to compare the satisfaction of patients with telemedicine among mHealth users and non-users. This was a survey-based study that included outpatients from Abu Dhabi. The association between patient satisfaction with telemedicine and use of mHealth technologies was described using regression models. This study included a total of 515 completed responses. The use of mHealth application was significantly associated with ease of booking telemedicine appointments (OR 2.61, 95% CI 1.63–4.18; P < .001), perception of similarity of quality of care between telemedicine consultations and in-person visits (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.26–2.61; P = .001), and preference for using telemedicine applications over in-person visits during the COVID-19 pandemic (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.12–2.72; P = .015). Our study results support that the use of mHealth applications is associated with increased patient satisfaction with telemedicine appointments.