Patient Experience Correlates with Willingness to Retain Service Utilization in Post-Pandemic Times Among Telemedicine Users in Indonesia

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 pandemic increases the use of telemedicine worldwide. Sustaining its use during post-pandemic times is important to overcome health care disparities, especially in countries with an inadequate number or uneven distribution of health care workers. This study aims to analyze factors associated with the willingness to retain telemedicine utilization after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An online survey was administered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Demographic characteristics and patient experience were used as predictors. Chi-square was used to examine the relationship between the outcome variable and the predictors. Finally, binary logistics regression was conducted to determine factors associated with willingness to retain telemedicine utilization after the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: A total of 784 responses were included in the analysis. The result showed a high rate of willingness to retain telemedicine utilization (81%). Factors associated with outcome variable were satisfaction (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 7.893; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.600–17.308; p < 0.001), telemedicine efficacy (aOR 1.747; 95% CI: 1.144–2.667; p = 0.010), ease of use (aOR 6.570; 95% CI: 3.029–14.250; p < 0.001), time efficiency (aOR 1.666; 95% CI: 1.092–2.540; p = 0.018), and cost efficiency (aOR 1.852; 95% CI: 1.005–3.411; p = 0.048). In contrast, patients who first used telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic were less likely to retain telemedicine utilization (aOR 0.437; 95% CI: 0.281–0.679; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The high willingness to retain utilization is a good indication of the sustainability of telemedicine services during post-COVID-19 pandemic. The stakeholders should focus on factors revealed in this study to increase the service uptake.