Patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes: Phone versus WhatsApp consultations in urology telemedicine

Résumé fourni par la source

Background The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telemedicine across healthcare specialties, with digital health technologies becoming essential tools for maintaining patient care while ensuring safety. Objective This cross-sectional study compared patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes between two widely used telemedicine modalities in urology: traditional phone calls versus WhatsApp messaging consultations. Methods Conducted in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, from March 2021 to December 2022, the study included 77 participants who chose either phone consultations ( n = 32, 41.6%) or WhatsApp consultations ( n = 45, 58.4%). Patient satisfaction was measured using validated 10-point scales, and urologist confidence in diagnosis was similarly assessed. Statistical analysis employed t -tests and Fisher's exact tests. Results Phone call users reported significantly higher initial satisfaction than WhatsApp users (8.7 vs. 8.0; p = 0.030), with no differences in urologist diagnostic confidence ( p = 0.935) or follow-up satisfaction ( p = 0.570). Phone calls were more frequently used for urgent cases (59.4% vs. 28.9%; p = 0.010), whereas WhatsApp was preferred for elective cases (71.1% vs. 40.6). Conclusions Both telemedicine modalities are clinically effective. Phone consultations provide superior immediate satisfaction, ideal for urgent needs, while WhatsApp offers a practical alternative for elective, asynchronous care. Healthcare systems can integrate either platform based on clinical urgency and patient preference.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.