Rapid Deployment of Telemedicine in HIV Care: Providers’ Attitudes and Perceptions (Preprint)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic prompted an abrupt transition to telemedicine for HIV care, necessitating an exploration of provider attitudes and experiences to understand future viability and impact. Objective: We conducted a convergent mixed methods study to evaluate and explore the attitudes towards and experiences of telemedicine among providers at HIV clinics in the Chicago area. Methods: This mixed-methods study assessed HIV providers with surveys at two time points and key informant interviews. Surveys were administered via REDCap, capturing responses from 83 eligible providers on the acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, and maintenance of telemedicine. Semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted on random selection of 10 participants to explore perceived experiences with telemedicine. Results: The first survey recorded telemedicine usage at 75%, which decreased to 58% by the second survey. Overall, the majority of respondents agreed with statements that assessed telemedicine appropriate, acceptable and feasible. Key informant interviews provided qualitative insights into telemedicine integration, revealing mixed sentiments; providers appreciated the flexibility and accessibility telemedicine offered but preferred in-person visits for their thoroughness, especially for physical exams and lab tests. Despite initial barriers such as technical challenges and patient preferences for in-person visits, telemedicine was deemed feasible for maintaining communication and care quality. Providers highlighted the need for better technological support and ongoing training to optimize telemedicine usage. Conclusions: Our study underscores telemedicine as a sustainable adjunct to traditional HIV care, emphasizing the importance of addressing technological and training barriers to enhance its efficacy. Clinical Trial: N/A