The Virtual Doctor Is In: The Effect of Telehealth Visits on Patient Experience

Abstract

COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption of telehealth. With this shift comes a need for empirically based research regarding the effect of telehealth on patient experience. The present study employed an online survey (N = 996) examining whether a patient's perceptions of a telehealth visit predicts (a) the likelihood that they will schedule a future telehealth visit, and (b) their recall of clinical information. Participants viewed a video of a real clinician delivering information on a COVID-19 antibody test, and responded to demographic, socioemotional, and cognitive items. We found that for every 1-point increase in an individual's satisfaction with their interaction with the doctor, they were .73 times more likely to revisit the doctor (p < .01). These results provide insight for researchers and medical professionals regarding patient perceptions of virtual encounters and suggest best practices to consider as we further integrate telehealth.