ABSTRACT
Background: During the acute COVID-19 pandemic HIV services in Scotland were rapidly redesigned to provide HIV care by telemedicine consultation, with only a proportion of face-to- face (FTF) care being reinstated from May 2020. To ensure service recovery was patient focused a working group representing multiple health boards across Scotland developed a patient survey to gain feedback on patients' experience of telemedicine consultations (telephone or video). Method: The questionnaire, based on previous sexual health patient questionnaires exploring views on telemedicine consultations, was adapted and piloted with 5 patients before being offered to patients having a telemedicine consultation for HIV care across Scotland from 24/08/20 to 13/01/21. Patients were invited to participate via telephone interview or a text-link to an online survey. Results were collated as simple proportions and common themes identified from free text responses. Results: 59 participants completed the survey in 7 Health Boards. The majority of respondents attend services in 1 health board (55%), identified as male (79%) and Scottish White (60%). They were mostly employed (71%). Almost all had a telephone consultation (97%). Participants were in their own home (88%), work (3%) or outside (7%) during their telemedicine consultation. Respondents were 'comfortable' talking with their clinician during telemedicine consultation (90%) which compared well with FTF consultation (85%), while 82% found telemedicine consultation 'acceptable'. Challenges attending FTF appointments were: getting time off work, access to parking and long journey time. Benefits of telemedicine consultation were: time saving, not having to travel and being able to attend from their location of choice. Respondents were concerned about telephone reception (50%) or internet access (35%), their ability to find a private space (38%) and confidence with video technology (30%). Respondents would like the option to choose the mode of future consultations, with a majority preferring a mixture of telephone and FTF (53%), telephone only (24%) or FTF only (19%). Conclusion: High levels of comfort and acceptability with telemedicine consultations were reported. Whilst the sample does not reflect our HIV community as a whole, the results support the continuation of telemedicine in HIV care in Scotland as part of a mixed model of care delivery.