Previously submitted to: Journal of Medical Internet Research (no longer under consideration since Sep 09, 2021)
Date Submitted: Jan 4, 2021
Open Peer Review Period: Jan 4, 2021 - Mar 1, 2021
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What do physicians think about the use of telemedicine to recruit and assess participants in mHealth clinical studies as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic?
ABSTRACT
Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic created a golden opportunity for digital health. Nevertheless, studies to validate mHealth solutions are still missing. To expedite those studies while ensuring patient safety, the use of telemedicine technologies for patient recruitment and assessment could be a suitable alternative to traditional study designs with face-to-face visits.
Objective:
To evaluate physician’s opinion and availability to participate in mHealth clinical studies with patient recruitment and assessment via telemedicine and to identify characteristics associated with the openness to participate.
Methods:
Cross-sectional, observational, anonymous web survey-based study including 237 physicians (general practitioners (GP), allergists, pulmonologists, and pediatricians from Portugal and Spain) that collaborated with an asthma mHealth project (INSPIRERS). The web-survey was made available between May 28th and June 11th and included questions about physicians’ and clinical practice characteristics, and physician’s availability and perceived difficulties to recruit and assess patients using telemedicine technologies.
Results:
The response rate was 51% (n=120). Most (74%) physicians were available to participate in mHealth clinical studies with patient recruitment and assessment via telemedicine, but 62% anticipated lower recruiting capacity and 40% an increased difficulty in obtaining quality data. Eight percent considered these studies viable but would be unavailable to participate and 18% believed that they would be unviable. Physicians with ≤40 years old, from secondary care specialties (vs GP) and that used apps in personal life or in clinical practice were more likely to be available to participate (odds ratio with 95% confidence interval: 4.25[1.26-14.28], 10.66[2.80-40.51], 4.58[1.57-13.40], and 7.37[1.76-30.86], respectively).
Conclusions:
Three-quarters of physicians were available to participate in mHealth clinical studies with patient recruitment and assessment through telemedicine. Age group, medical specialty, and app use were associated with the openness to participate.
Citation
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