La telemedicine it is still an emerging phenomenon, with significant obstacles to overcome, especially regarding the trust of operators and patients. It needs greater organizational and regulatory clarity within healthcare facilities.
This is what emerges from the results of the "1st national survey on Telemedicine in the private outpatient setting" presented to Luiss byHealth, Wellbeing and Resilience Observatory of Bruno Visentini Foundation together with theIstituto Superiore di Sanita and the supplementary health fund Fasdac.
The survey, which for the first time ever probed the relationship between private operators and Telemedicine, was conducted on over 300 private and private healthcare facilities affiliated with the NHS distributed throughout the country.
Prospects for the development of Telemedicine
The first significant data regarding the development of Telemedicine in the private sector indicates that 58% of facilities do not currently offer Telemedicine services and have no plans to do so in the future, while only 13% currently offer Telemedicine services and wish to expand them.
The obstacles to overcome
The main causes identified as obstacles to development of Telemedicine are:
- “organizational complexity” reported in 24% of cases
- the "lack of propensity or collaboration of healthcare personnel" with 15%
- the "cost in economic terms" at 9%
Furthermore, in large facilities that provide over 50.000 outpatient services per year, the "cost in economic terms" becomes the most relevant problem, together with the "complexity in applying the GDPR legislation", both at 17%.
Trust in Telemedicine
Confidence in Telemedicine among operators varies. General Directorates and Health Directorates show a "high" or "medium-high" level of trust of around 40%, while this drops to 27% for doctors and health professions directly involved in the provision of services.
From the patients' point of view, the facilities have noted that 27% of them show "little trust towards Telemedicine", and 23% of patients have problems of "unfamiliarity with information technologies".
The survey conducted by the Observatory revealed many relevant data, to guide actions at a national level, in order to facilitate change and ensure the full achievement of the objectives set out in the Mission 6 of the PNRR.
Telemedicine important for the evolution of the NHS
“The development of telemedicine is a topic of fundamental importance for the evolution of our National Health System, also in light of the objectives set by Mission 6 of the PNRR – declared Sen. Ylenia Zscopio, Secretary of the X Permanent Commission of the Senate during the presentation of the work – In this sense, it is really important be able to have data, such as that collected and studied by the Health Observatory of the Bruno Visentini Foundation, which helps shed light on the phenomenon and make public intervention more aware"
“Italian healthcare – in the words of the Hon. Simon Loizzo, President of the Parliamentary Intergroup on Digital Health and Digital Therapies – has in recent years been experiencing a period in which great difficulties, epochal opportunities, ancient limits and system critical issues are intertwined. The digital technologies they are certainly among the opportunities to improve care and optimize resources. This research shows the aspects that need to be filled and the extent of the challenges we also face at a legislative level."
“We are very satisfied to have conducted such a pioneering investigation – he said Duilio Carusi, coordinator of the Observatory and adjunct professor at Luiss Business School – who first sheds light on the state of the art of telemedicine starting from the private healthcare sector. These results were achieved thanks to the public-private synergy activated by the Observatory which was able to count on the scientific supervision of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità and the support of the Fasdac supplementary health fund".
“This research is very important in several respects – he underlined Francesco Gabbrielli, Director of the CNT-ISS – For the first time we study Telemedicine in private healthcare. We begin to understand the level of technical and organizational maturity in the creation of private services. We methodically explore the propensity and trust of private professionals in the implementation of Telemedicine conducted in compliance with national standards. All knowledge that we will have to develop in order to promote change in a shared way."
