Qualitative study uncovers barriers and enablers of virtual care among COVID-19 patients and clinicians, highlighting needs for sustainable hybrid systems.
Key Points
To evaluate patient and healthcare provider experiences during the pandemic, identify barriers and facilitators to digital health adoption, and guide sustainable future care models.
Conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured Zoom interviews between March 2023 and September 2024.
Interviewed 20 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and 21 healthcare providers across New South Wales and Victoria.
Analyzed data via reflexive thematic analysis informed by the Technology Acceptance Model and Diffusion of Innovations theory.
Rapid digitization altered healthcare-seeking behavior, prompting many individuals to defer necessary in-person consultations due to infection concerns.
Clinicians faced substantial digital workload increases, workflow disruption, and insufficient technological readiness.
Disparities in digital literacy and mismatched expectations degraded patient-provider trust, communication, and diagnostic confidence during virtual encounters.