ABSTRACT
In times of global pandemic, telemedicine is emerging as an effective and sustainable solution to stop the spread of COVID-19. The aim of this article is to study the public attitudes towards the application of telemedicine in Bulgaria in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods: To study the public attitudes for the application of telemedicine in a pandemic, 253 people were interviewed voluntarily and anonymously. We used our own tools – a questionnaire distributed online. Statistical data processing was performed using IBM SPSS v. 23. Results: Respondents with higher education and healthcare workers were more distrustful of health information on the Internet. Over 75% of the respondents stated that they would use remote medical services for consultation with a medical professional in case of a health problem, and nearly 59% of them would pay for remote medical services for consultation and/or monitoring of treatment. The issuance of an electronic referral, an electronic sick leave form and an electronic prescription could limit the spread of COVID-19 according to 77.4% of them. Almost ¾ of our respondents would install a mobile application to contact a doctor in case of emergency. The preferred means of consulting a medical professional in the current pandemic is a telephone conversation. Conclusion: Telemedicine is essential to ensure that patients have access to medical care. In times of global public health emergency, health systems must rely on remote medical examinations and electronic prescriptions to deal with the further spread of the disease.
ABSTRACT
Electronic Health (eHealth) is the use of technologies in healthcare, including treatment, health promotion, monitoring and disease prevention. Its introduction in the primary medical care will facilitate the work of the general practitioner, increase the quality of the offered health services and compensate the shortage of health specialists. The aim of this overview was to analyze the current state of eHealth in the practice of general practitioners in Bulgaria. Material and methods. A search was conducted in the databases of PubMed, ScienceDirect Database, Google Scholar, SpringerLink, as well as in the official websites of various governmental and non-governmental institutions. It was organized from November 1, 2020, to January 31, 2021, by key words: “eHealth” and “general practitioners” or “family doctors”. Results. An overview of existing sources was made. The advantages and benefits of the application of eHealth in the practice of general practitioners in a number of European countries and in Bulgaria were studied. The opportunities it offers in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic were analyzed. The existing limitations and obstacles for its successful implementation in Bulgaria were considered. Conclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the development and implementation of eHealth not only in Bulgaria. Examples of technology entering the practice of general practitioners are common in most European countries. This is most often seen in the context of implementing health reform, introducing new and innovative models for health care delivery and offering effective methods for accessing and exchanging health information. © 2021, Central Medical Library Medical University – Sofia. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Primary care is the basis of numerous attempts and initiatives applied in health reforms in recent years. One of them is the introduction of e-health, which will not only facilitate the work of the general practitioners (GPs) and increase the quality of the offered health services but also protects the environment because it reduces the amount of used medical supplies that require specialised disposal. The aim of the present study is to examine the attitudes towards the application of e-health among GPs in Bulgaria. 381 GPs participated in our study voluntarily, anonymously and without preselection. Most of the respondents knew what the term "e-health" included. GPs work in conditions of partially introduced e-health. They were interested in its application and were ready to actively participate in its development and final implementation in their practice. Around half of the surveyed GPs feared legal regulation (49.6%), followed by difficulties in using technology (47.5%), as well as lack of technical knowledge (35.4%). Less than 1/3 were afraid of misuse of personal information (28.9%). E-health has significant potential to address many of the challenges facing primary care in today's healthcare environment. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the development and implementation of e-health not only in Bulgaria.
ABSTRACT
In times of global pandemic, telemedicine is emerging as an effective and sustainable solution to stop the spread of COVID-19. The aim of this article is to study the public attitudes towards the application of telemedicine in Bulgaria in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods: To study the public attitudes for the application of telemedicine in a pandemic, 253 people were interviewed voluntarily and anonymously. We used our own tools - a questionnaire distributed online. Statistical data processing was performed using IBM SPSS v. 23.